The End or the Beginning?
by Strong is fighting
Summary: Sam and Dean find Buffy after she rises from her grave and things take off from there. Buffy and Sam friendship and eventually Buffy/Dean. Starting with the events of Bargaining part 2 and continuing to Supernatural season 1.
1. Chapter 1: Bargaining, Winchester Style

The End or the Beginning?

Chapter 1: Bargaining, Winchester Style

I saw a few stories resembling this and wanted to take a stab at it. I heard it was originally a challenge but I'm not sure so…. Any way….. Also in my story Buffy died in 2004/2005 so it's the start of Supernatural's season 1. This is my first story so wish me luck please respond telling me how horrible or great this was :-/ I have a few other chapters written but will only post if people actually want to read them.

Sam and Dean find Buffy after she rises from her grave and things take off from there. A strong Buffy and Sam friendship and eventually Buffy/Dean

* * *

**"Giles, there are two things that I don't believe in: coincidences and leprechauns."**

**-Buffy Summers Faith, Hope, & Trick (Season 3)**

Amid all the whooping and hollering of the Demon Bikers as they pillage through the town all is quiet in Buffy's grave until a shimmer of light covers her body. Buffy's horrid, dead body soon returns to the lovely Californian Slayer, with her pale features and honey blonde hair. Buffy finally opens her eyes which soon become wild as she starts panicking, as a horrible thought comes into her realization she's entombed, buried alive. She begins to thrash around. Holding the sides of the casket as if they're closing in on her, her mouth widens to emit a scream, but the only sound that escapes is a horrid dry rasp. The confused girl is still pushing and kicking at the side of the coffin gasping for what little stale air might be trapped inside here with her. She frantically claws and pounds at the coffin lid, tearing at the once beautiful white lining. BAM!

Buffy, her knuckles and fingernails now raw and bloody, manages to smash through the coffin lid. Pulling her fist out, dirt begins to stream in. Using all her strength, grunting she pulls down on the splintered wood around the hole she's made, and the dirt stream becomes torrential. She spits and coughs, then, holding her breath, pulls herself up through the opening and starts to dig her way out. A fist punches through, feverishly claws at the ground, then another hand appears, and suddenly Buffy pulls herself up out of her grave, wild-eyed, and gasping for breath.

Moments later Buffy gets to her feet. Dirty, bleeding, leaves in her hair, dirt on her face thoroughly freaked when suddenly something catches her eye. She slowly looks over at it and freezes ... She slowly steps toward the gravestone. Her gravestone. The blonde stares at it, squinting at it with abject horror as she reads what it placed on the horrible object:

**BUFFY ANNE SUMMERS**

**2005**

**Beloved Sister**

**Devoted Friend **

**She Saved the World**

**A Lot  
**

* * *

The streets are seemingly deserted, through shouting, car alarms, and sirens can be heard through the fiery street. Still in her black funeral dress Buffy numbly wanders down the middle of the street, looking around while everything in her point of view looks ugly and alien. A flickering glow appears on her face, getting brighter as she moves closer to it. A Sunnydale police car burns at the side of the road, its tires slashed, windows and taillights broken. Buffy stares, incredulously, at the blazing fire for a beat, almost hypnotized by it, when...

RRROOOAR! Seemingly from nowhere, a hellion, gunning his motorcycle, roars up behind her. Buffy spins around and flinches as he goes by, smashing his beer bottle on the ground at her feet, spraying her with glass and beer. Over her shoulder she watches the Demon Biker make a screeching turn at the corner, disappearing, the sound of his engine fading away. Buffy continues on, silhouetted by the raging fire behind her, utterly confused and disoriented.

Buffy is trudging along on the sidewalk, and looking around trying to get her bearings; then pauses to rest, leaning against a car at the end of a driveway. Suddenly... The car alarm is tripped and blares loudly. As Buffy backs away from the noise, a bright beam porch light comes on. She snaps her eyes shut, trying to blink away the momentary blindness (as it's the first real light to hit her eyes in months). Amid the harsh glare of the porch light, a shapeless form appears in her vision, pointing something at her, though she can't make out what it is.

"What are you doing? Get away from there!" The form says who turns out to be a homeowner skittish and angry, leveling a shotgun at her. "I said, get off my property!" He bellowed louder. Buffy hesitates, shaking her head as if to say she means no harm. Taking it as a refusal to his demand the homeowner "You hear me?!" He says his voice raising several decibels. He swings the gun around and wields it like a club, intending to bash her brains in. "Leave us alone!" Buffy staggers away, the homeowner in the background. "GET OUT OF HERE!"

"Say hello to your new home, boys!" Razor, the leader of the hellions said, his face aglow from reflected flames. Cheering, a demon bikers takes a swig of whiskey then brings a burning torch to his mouth and blows fire high into the air. Roughly about twenty other hellion, are in a convenience store parking lot, swigging beer and whiskey from bottles, whooping it up. They cheer Razor's words and those on bikes gun their engines. All around, fire burns in steel barrels lined about the area. It's all very pagan, savage, post-apocalyptic. "This here is a momentous occasion. The beginning of a new era. Now, no question the open back roads and highways have been good to us, but

we got ourselves a juicy little burg just ripe for picking…"

Back on the street Buffy is still walking numbly in the when she hears-

"And I ain't in no hurry to leave. Are you?"

More cheers and engines gunned from his followers. Buffy glances over at the biker crowd in the parking lot and moves toward it. "So I figured what better way to kick off our semi-settling down than with a little christening …" Mag (second demon in command) ties the end of a chain to the back of a motorcycle. "A symbolic act commemorating the new order around here…" Another horribly disfigured demon helps tie a chain to the back of a cycle facing the opposite direction. "And ridding ourselves of any not so pleasant reminders of the old…" Razor brings up a 38-caliber revolver into view. He loads a bullet as he speaks. "All in one, quick, really REALLY violent, fell swoop…" He slaps the chamber closed.

Buffy approaches from behind, unnoticed by anyone. Her blonde locks covering her face slightly as she tries to understand what is happening. "Gentlemen, start your engines." Razor growls out. The motorcycle with the chain tied to the back gets kick started along with another, and another, and another. Buffy peers through a break in the crowd. She sees something and her eyes widen.

The Buffybot, is standing in the middle of the lot. It's scuffed, clothes are torn... It's been abused. From a few damaged points, errant wires stick out, and a spark or two sputters. It seems confused, though not scared, as each of its limbs is chained to the back of four different motorcycles. Suddenly Razor holds up the revolver and says, "Bye-bye, Slayer."... and fires into the air. All the while a cheeky demonic grin on his face.

The Bikers take off with Buffy watching in absolute horror. At that moment, the Buffybot glances over and sees her. They lock eyes for a moment. The robot's expression is impassive. Buffy's hazel eyes widen in anticipation of what's to come. The Buffybot opens its mouth to say something to Buffy when the chains go taut and the robot is suddenly and really violently, torn apart. Drawn and quartered. Wires sticking out in all directions with the occasional spark. The crowd howls its delight of seeing the "Slayer", protector of the world, defender of the innocent in pieces at their feet. Buffy's face clouds in anguish and terror at seeing her own horrific death. The fear welds up inside her and explodes into a scream of-

"Nooooooooo!" Buffy says, her voice hoarse from months of not being used. The crowd quiets and turns to look at her. Razor scrutinizes her for a moment before finally deciding to have her be, "Another one for the fire, boys. Tear it up!" The biker mob, crazed with bloodlust, rush at Buffy, who is staring back, wide-eyed with fear, and recoiling.

Buffy is terrified, as she runs from the Hellions chasing her - most on foot, some on motorcycles. Two bikers zoom past her, then swerve their bikes around, cutting off her escape. Buffy skids to a halt, than sprints off in another direction, the Hellions on wheels on her tail. Another comes at her, dangling a chain. As it reaches her, the Demon swings the chain, Buffy ducks and the chain wraps around the throat of the Hellion chasing her. Both Bikers fall off their motorcycles.

Buffy tears off down another road with Kyle and Mag on her tail. They gun their engines, converging on her. Buffy makes a dash for a dumpster by an industrial looking building. She leaps onto it, and flips over a fence.

Two people are walking down the road in mid conversation

"Look, we will only drive through this town. I know you wanna find dad as much as I do." said a tall man with mop like brown hair.

"Yeah, but why are we here? Dad's journal said never go to Sunnydale why do I feel like for once you should have listened!?" replied a shorter man with dirty blonde hair and beautiful eyes. "Sunnydale? More like Sunnyhell."

"Dean, can't you just-" the brunet would have finished but suddenly something shadowy jumps out, landing in front of them. "Watch it!"

The shorter of the two ( now known as Dean) raises up his gun instinctively pointing it at the filthy thing in front of them as it rises up in front of them to see Buffy. She looks at them, eyes darting around, feral. Buffy focuses on the duo for a half beat, then suddenly turns and runs away from them. Stunned, the brothers share a look. Then tear after her. They run down the alley, searching.

"Where did-?" Dean's younger brother Sam questions. Dean spies something moving in the far corner.

"Here." They come around a corner to find Buffy at a dead end. She crouches like a caged animal, looking around her. Dean slowly crouches in front of her to keep from scaring her while Sam remains behind him. " I'm Dean and this is my brother Sam. Can you hear me?" he says softly trying not to scare the already frightened girl. Buffy doesn't look or answer though she only searches for some escape. "What's wrong with her?" Dean directs to his brother.

"She's ... she's in shock." Sam replies then pauses for a beat as he examines the girl further and stops at her tattered hands. "Her hands are bleeding. Her fingernails ..."

"And she's filthy." Another beat of tense silence. They're stumped as to what to do. "It's going to be all right. You're safe now." Dean says encouragingly. Buffy seems to peer up at that. Safe was where she was, safe was her Heaven in this Hell. "We'll get you home." Buffy's face goes hard as she's looking past Dean at:

"Yeah..." Razor says menacingly. The others pivot around to see Razor standing behind them, along with six other Hellions. Most armed with chains, bats, pipes. "Welcome home, Slayer. Alive and kicking after all." Buffy peers at the demons through the matted hair hanging in her face. To her, his voice sounds a million miles away. "Well, alive, anyway. Not looking too good though, is she?"

Dean stands from his once crouched position, takes out his gun, and says, "Don't see you winning any beauty contests, unless the Miss My-Face-Fell-off Pageant gets going..." Razor turns to Dean, eyeing him threateningly.

"Nice gun you got there."

"The better to cut you down to size, grandma." During a lot of their conversation Buffy remained uncomprehending, and very distorted

"Now, my boys, see ... that's tricky. They came looking for a massacre."

"You'd be wrong." Sam said steeping forward a feeling of the need to protect the small blonde wash over both brothers but not because it was their job.

"Whoa. I better back off." Razor said, sarcasm filling his words. Knowing that it would be a hard fight for them both and not just because of the huddled blonde, Sam said, "Look. We don't want trouble. And you don't want trouble." But the demons would have none of that.

"Of course we want trouble. We're demons. We're really all about trouble." The leader said.

Razor back hands him in the face. He goes flying back and lands in a clatter pile of trash cans. Dean moves forward but Razor clips him before he can even shoot his gun. Buffy slowly rises during the fight, her Slayer instincts screaming at her to save the people that tried to help her.

"Let me tell you something, children." Razor continues his speech as if he was never interrupted, "We're not gonna fight you. We're just gonna hold you down, enjoy ourselves for a few hours. You might even live through it, 'cept that certain of my boys got some anatomical incompatibilities that, uh, tend to tear up little girls." An evil glint shown through his eyes as he said the last part directed to Buffy. Buffy is slowly moving toward him. Her face getting less confused and more focused. "So, who wants to go first?" He notices Buffy finally, who steps right in front of him. "I was really hoping it'd be you."

He punches her in the face. She takes the blow hard but doesn't so much as rock back. Sam and Dean look on mystified at the tiny girl that could take that huge hit. Buffy looks up at him, feeling the bit of blood on her lip. Buffy's eyes narrow on Razor as long dormant instincts kick in.

Razor takes another swing at Buffy. She blocks it by grabbing his hand in her tiny fist, then cracks him across the jaw. And again. Then slams him in the face with her heel, snapping his head back. Razor hits the ground hard, out cold.

Both groups are stunned, taking in what just happened. The Winchesters look at Buffy who stands over Razor's prone body, breathing hard. After several beats. They share a look, then charge at the beasts. They engage. Dean fires his gun and Sam uses his riffle. Buffy fights ferocity building as she leaps into the fray, taking on most of the Hellions single-handedly.

Most of the Hellions lay dead. As the rest of the boys finish off their opponents, Buffy battles the two remaining Hellions, one armed with a pipe, the other a knife. In mid-tussle, the pipe-wielding Hellion raises his weapon to strike, Buffy grabs the arm of the knife-wielder, snapping it, and manages to jab her attacker, killing him. Sam looks up in time to see Buffy finish off the other Hellion by breaking his neck. As the fighting settles, the boys come towards Buffy, surveying the carnage.

"Well, they wanted a massacre." Dean dead-pans . Sam stares at Buffy, who's looking off.

"We can help you just please come with us." Sam says reassuringly. Buffy's head snaps up to look at him. Buffy backs away slowly. "... whoa, whoa..." Buffy suddenly turns and runs down the alley. "Wait!"

"Where's she going?" Razor's black eyes snap open.

"Should we follow?"

"I don't know Sammy... Yeah let's go..." Unseen by them Razor rises up behind them, looking around at his slain brethren. Razor brings up his fist and the switchblade claws snap open. Sam catches sight of Razor about to strike.

"Dean! Look out!" Dean jumps out of the way, tripping, as Razor swipes at him, missing. Razor glares at Sam then he turns back to Dean and moves in on him. Dean scrambles for his gun and crawls out of reach.

"Now what kind of a Slayer is it runs out on her buddies ... just when they need her most." Then he closes in but Dean raises his gun and kills the once powerful demon.

"Did... did he say Slayer?" Sam questions, awe in his deep voice.

"I think why?" Dean says as they start looking for the girl.

"Dad's journal"

"Wait you mean slayer as in The Slayer?"

"It fits."

"No way. If she was then why the hell was she so...so"

"I don't know. Let's find out"

"Are you forgettin something Sammy? Does Dad ring any bells."

"Yeah we'll maybe a Slayer is what we need."

"You gotta be kidding." Dean looks at Sam an off his stone face adds, "You are joking right?" But Sam does not reply.

* * *

Buffy runs breathing hard. She comes to a stop by a spiky wrought iron fence. Then, she hesitates, holding her breath. Something occurs to her or she senses something. She looks off as a thought seeps into her consciousness. As she straightens, about to act on this new idea. A hellion jumps out from the darkness and attacks her.

Buffy wails on him. She jams her foot into his kneecap, smashing it, then slams him down onto the spikes of the iron fence, impaling him. She takes off as the Hellion exhales his last breath and dies.

Buffy stands at the edge of the platform of the tower, looking down. The sky is quiet and still. Buffy quietly remembers what happen on this very spot just months ago.

**FLASHBACK **

Buffy is atop the platform as a ball of energy spews forth its apocalyptic chaos and noise.

**NOW **

Buffy registers this flash of another life. The calmness of the night in stark contrast to the faint memory. It's actually the most peaceful of any place she's been this night. She closes her eyes.

**FLASHBACK**

Buffy, amid the din, turns to face Dawn who looks at her sister, knowing without knowing. "Buffy... no ..." her sister said softly, her voice hoarse from pain, both emotionally and physically.

**NOW**

Buffy's eyes are still closed. She speaks the words softly of what she said next. The start of speech she thought would be her last. She was happy all her thoughts, tangled and muddled she just wants her peace back. "Dawnie... I have to -"

"You really don't wanna do that."

Her eyes open, surprised to hear another voice that was not her sister's.

Buffy slowly turns around to look at who's behind her. If she recognized the two demon hunters she made no look of recognition appear on her face. The shorter one, Dean speaks again.

"I'm Dean and this is Sam. Remember? We helped you grind the demon's bones to make your bread." He adds the last bit jokingly. The words catch in her throat, as waves of mixed emotions flood her brain: fear, elation, confusion. Buffy turned back around again, to stare into the abyss off the platform.

"Dean go." Sam says and elaborates when he sees the look on his older brother's face. "I can handle this and you're not really a people person. Just wait for me at the bottom, I'll be fine." Once Dean hesitantly nods and walks down the stairs Sam turns back to Buffy who has gotten closer to the edge of the unstable platform.

"No! Don't! Don't jump! Don't move! Just ... walk to me. Please?" Buffy still doesn't move she just looks back and forth from Sam to the edge. Seeing that she isn't moving he slowly starts to walk towards her. Buffy wants to do anything but walk to Sam, the name she now picked up on. She wants to be back, she was happy, at peace, this had to be Hell. She remembers all of her friends, Willow, Xander, Giles, Dawn, Joyce, Angel, Cordelia, Anya, Spike, Riley, Ford, her first watcher and the impact they had on her life and vice versa. She knows it's selfish but she just doesn't want to be here. As Sam inches himself closer, the platform suddenly groans and sways a little under his feet. Sam looks down, and grabs a rail to support himself.

"Or move, but towards me." Buffy doesn't answer him she just continues looking down. Frustrated Sam says, "Talk to me! Say something!"

"Is this hell?" Buffy said in a voice so small, so defeated it broke his heart to know he was so hard on her just moments ago. Even though he heard the sound he couldn't make out the words.

"What?" Buffy turns to face him. Her expression almost childlike in its desire to understand. "Is this hell?" she repeats.

"No. Whatever happened to you... Whatever you've been through... It's-It's over now. My brother and I can help you. You're-" He takes a step toward Buffy. The tower elicits another more pronounced groan "We have to get off this tower."

"It was so clear here., On this spot. I remember how... shiny and clear everything was. But now, now it's ..." Buffy said lost in thought. Buffy closes her eyes again. The screech of grinding metal breaks the silence. Sam looks up to see a steel beam break away from the tower. He holds his breath as it misses him by inches. A large section of the platform breaks away as the grinder slams into it on its descent. If Sam could hear anything over the clank of metal he would have heard his brother call out to him.

Buffy turns to look back as the impact causes the tower to shake violently, and the platform starts to separate from it, banking to the side. Sam is about to slide off. He reaches for a support rail on the tower, but it's too far. Buffy's face fill with clarity. She couldn't die people needed her, maybe she could start over, be Anne again. No, she couldn't maybe she could go with the hunters. In that second her decision made.

"Sam." She whispers very quietly, the name new on her full, pink lips. "Sam!" She runs to Sam transferring the ever-tilting platform. "I'm coming!" Buffy grabs Sam as the platform lurches away further. She looks around and spies a steel cable dangling from a pulley, attached to the side of the tower.

Buffy throws Sam over her shoulder in any other situation this may have looked funny. The tower groans louder as Buffy pushes herself off, diving for the cable. Her hand grabs hold of the cable, and they start to descend. Rapidly. Due to the friction of the cable being pulled through the pulley it begins to smoke. The speed increasing, Buffy looks around for something to slow their descent. She glances down and sees the ground coming up to greet them.

The pulley is very hot now, the smoke billowing from it. A bolt, attaching it to the tower. Pops. Then another. On the tower, the platform finally tears away from it. The heat on the pulley causes the cable to seize up. Buffy and Sam are surprised at the sudden stoppage jerking them off the line and they fall, twenty or so feet.

They fall on the ground hard with Buffy taking most of the impact. Buffy is winded and coughing when she suddenly looks straight up and her eyes go wide. She sees the platform hurtling right at them. Buffy rolls over, grabs a dazed San and they scramble out of the way as the platform slams to the ground. Dean sees his brother is okay, and together The Slayer and the Winchesters run outside of the fence encircling the construction site. The platform can be heard crashing down, its metal and concrete screaming, kicking up a thick cloud of dirt and debris. As it starts to clear, as everything appears to be safe and everyone. Buffy sits against the fence, exhausted, spent. She closes her eyes.

"Are you okay... what's your name?" Sam asks wanting to know the name of his savior. Buffy's eyes open and go to the two brothers who are watching her curiously.

"I'm... I'm fine" Buffy says and averts her eyes. After a beat she adds," Buffy... my name... it's Buffy."

"We want to bring you to our motel. Just to clean you up." Dean elaborates. But Buffy just has an impassive face.

"Let's go." And together the three get into the Impala, none knowing they just made the greatest choice of their live. That day they didn't know they just met their next ally, friend, and lover all in the form of Buffy Summers.

In the backseat of the Impala, the beautiful Slayer rested her head on the window while Dean's music poured from the speakers. To him the lyrics were meaningful but to her all it was, was a muffled noise. Buffy thought about her once peaceful paradise that was ripped away from her friends. She didn't know how she knew that but she did. Millions of thoughts floated through her mind. Some jokingly like 'what birthday do I celebrate now?' and others more serious like' where do I go from here?' Before she knew it she arrived at the motel and was having Sam help her into the suite.

"You can go take a shower while I wash your clothes. Alright." Sam said as he left her the bathroom. Buffy took off her black funeral dress, happy to have the itchy garment off. Once in the shower the Slayer pulled back the curtain and wept quietly. A soft knock came from the door but was unheard by Buffy who was too lost in her sorrows. Once the door opened Sam awkwardly placed a tee shirt and boxers on the floor.

"I brought you clothes. Umm.. are... are you alright." Buffy sniffed "I'll be fine." Sam left, even though he knew that was far from the truth.

Once her shower was finished Buffy walked out of the small bathroom and saw Dean laying on the bed, looking at her.

"Hey. Sam went to get ya some food." Dean said, unaware of what to say or do. Buffy nodded and sat down at the edge of Sam's bed. Dean got up from the blood red sheets, grabbed bandages, disinfectant, and sat down next to her. Her green eyes meet his as he wrapped her hands carefully an never breaking eye contact. The door suddenly opened to show Sam carrying three coffees and some snacks and the eye contact was broken. Not wanting to be rude, Buffy ate the food even though food was far from important at the time. The snacks tasted bland, boring, even horrid to the blonde beauty but she continued to eat. After a long silence due to their eating Buffy broke it by saying," I guess you want to know what happened."

"That would be nice. We already know you're The Slayer." Sam said curios at what could make the young warrior act this way.

"It's a long story." Buffy replied looking at her feet.

"We got time." Dean said for he too was wondering what happened to her. " Well, it all started with my sister..." Buffy said as she started her tale. She told them almost everything that happened in the last year, she didn't know why she trusted them like she did but she didn't want to dwell on that now. She told them about her key sister, her mom's death, her noble sacrifice, and waking up in her coffin. She even gave them the cliff notes version of what happened to her in previous years. The only thing she excludes is her time in heaven, Angel, and a few others things that she swore to never tell any living soul. When she was finished both boys looked stunned.

"Wow. And I thought I had a bad week." Dean says numbly.

"So what do you guys do? Move from town to town every few days?"

"Pretty much. Were hunters." Sam says.

"I want in."

"What?"

"I can't stay here anymore and I can help you guys."

"You? How?" Dean says in disbelief. Yeah, Sam brought up the idea but he never thought it would happen.

"Hello. Slayer comma The. I could kick your ass to next week." Buffy clarified, some of her old humor resurfacing.

"Are you sure?" Sam asks.

"Positive. Just let me sneak in my house, get some clothes."

"You don't want to see your friends, family?"

"It would only make this harder." A slight nod from the boys indicated they understood.

* * *

A few hours later Buffy, Sam, and Dean sat in the back of the Impala. Buffy's duffle in the trunk full of weapons and clothes. Dean's music blared loudly in the background. Buffy laid down in the back seat while Sam slept in the front and Dean drove. They were on their way to some place the brother's dad sent them. Somewhere called Blackwater Ridge.

To Be Continued...

**A/N: So what you think? Good, bad, did you even read this? I have the next chapter typed but I want to see if any one actually reads this so please leave a comment and hopefully I will have some readers. I plan to do the entire season and maybe more if people read the story so wish me luck : ) **


	2. Chapter 2: Wendigo

**The End or the Beginning?**

**Chapter 2: Wendigo **

**I saw a few stories resembling this and wanted to take a stab at it. I heard it was originally a challenge but I'm not sure so…. Any way….. Also in my story Buffy died in 2004/2005 so it's the start of Supernatural's season 1.**

**Sam and Dean find Buffy after she rises from her grave and things take off from there. A strong Buffy and Sam friendship and eventually Buffy/Dean **

**Thanks to all the reviews! I will do the entire season if people want me to (I really want to) and ****hopefully post a chapter every week****. Just starting out so I know it's not perfect and I typed about 90% of this on my Ipod so… Wendigo not a very exciting episode but don't be discouraged! I have plans for the future ( cue devilish smile)**

* * *

_"But I know it's important to keep fighting and I learned that from you." Angel_

_"But we never -" Buffy _

_"We never win."_

_"Not completely."_

_"We never will. That's not why we fight. We do it 'cause there's things _

_worth fighting for." -Angel & Buffy Summers Gingerbread (Season 3)_

* * *

Previously in the lives of Buffy Summers, and Dean and Sam Winchester

**NOVEMBER 2, 1983**

At the Winchester's suburban home. Mary, a beautiful women in a white nightgown runs up the stairs and into Sam's nursery. John gives baby Sam to Dean. "Take your brother outside as fast as you can! Now, Dean, go!" John Winchester commands. Dean runs downstairs with Sam while John looks back to see Mary burning on the ceiling. "Mary! No!" John watches the nursery burn, Mary with it.

**November 1, 2005**

In Sam's apartment, Dean speaks to Sam and Jess. "Dad's on a hunting trip. And he hasn't been home in a few days."

"Jess, excuse us." Sam says leaving his girlfriend.

In the stairwell from Sam's apartment, Sam speaks to Dean.

"I swore I was done hunting. For good."

"I can't do this alone." His brother argues.

"Jess?" Sam calls as soon as he reaches his bedroom from a long day of fighting. In Sam's bedroom, he lies on the bed, eyes closed, and sighs. Blood drips on his forehead and he flinches, opens his eyes, and gasps in horror. Jess is pinned to the ceiling, bleeding. "No!"

"We've got work to do." Sam says to his brother as he closes the trunk on the Impala.

**Los Angeles, California **

"You are The Slayer." An old man says to a young Buffy who looks confused at his words.

"I don't have a destiny. I'm destiny free really." Buffy retorts, red lollipop in hand.

**Sunnydale California **

"Be brave. Live for me." Buffy says to her sister Dawn and then takes a swan dive into a portal. Killing herself and saving the world.

**Months Later**

"She is the warrior of her people. Let her cross over." Willow, the red headed Wicca says as she tries to bring Buffy back to life.

"I'm Dean and this is my brother Sam." Dean says to the newly resurrected Slayer.

"Buffy... my name... it's Buffy. I want in."

"Let's go."

* * *

**NOW**

**Blackwater Ridge**

**Lost Creek, Colorado**

Two tents are set up near a fire ring. Crickets chirp. Inside one tent, two young men Brad and Gary, are playing head-to-head handheld video games.

"Dude, you're cheating." Brad said.

"No, you just suck." Gary, the 'cheater' said. Something growls outside. In the other tent, a third young man, Tom Collins records a video message on his cell phone.

"Hey Haley, day six, we're still out near Blackwater Ridge." Something dark flicks behind the tent wall behind Tom too fast to be identifiable as more than 'something dark', the screen on Tom's phone, displaying the video as Tom records it, caught it. "We're fine, keeping safe, so don't worry, okay? Talk to you tomorrow." Tom stops recording and sends the message.

Brad closes his game system and tosses it aside. Gary stares at his system for a moment, then turns to look at Brad, who is getting up and unzipping the tent.

"Hey, where ya goin? My moment of victory" Gary said.

"Nature calls." Brad calls as he goes outside and zips up the tent behind him. He goes to stand against the tree to relieve himself. The fire crackles. Something snaps a stick. Brad looks towards the sound and sees the trees rustling. Brad shakes his head and returns his attention downward, then looks up sharply. Something growls. Inside Tom's tent, Tom, who is reading Joseph Campbell's The Hero With A Thousand Faces, hears Brad scream. Inside Gary's tent, Gary hears the same and rolls over.

"Brad?" Tom sits up.

"Gary, what's goin on?" Gary opens the tent and sticks his head out to look around. He sees nothing but he hears growling. He looks up. Something pulls Gary out of the tent. He screamed, a bone chilling scream. Tom turns out the lantern he had on. Shadows move very quickly around the outside of Tom's tent. He looks around, his eyes following the shadows and growling. Silence falls. Something slashes open Tom's tent as he lets out a final scream.

* * *

**Palo Alto, California**

Birds chirp in the swaying trees. Sam, wearing a suit and tie and carrying a bouquet of various flowers excluding roses, walks through an otherwise deserted cemetery. Sam sighs and stops next to a gravestone. It reads:

**JESSICA LEE MOORE**

**Beloved Daughter**

**January 24th 1984 – November 2nd 2005**

There is a small picture of a grinning Jess set into the stone above her name, a black-and-white picture of her leaning against the stone between a white teddy bear and a wooden box with a crucifix leaning on the picture, a small American flag next to the box, and three candles standing on the gravestone; one is of the Virgin de Guadalupe. Sam looks between the gravestone and the flowers.

"I, uh..." He says nervously and then let's out a shaky laugh. "You always said roses were, were lame, so I brought you, uh..."

Sam looks at the picture set into the gravestone, then looks away, choking back tears. He steps closer to the gravestone. "Jess...oh God..." Sam kneels to set down the flowers. "I should have protected you. I should have told you the truth." Sam says, in his heart believing her death was his fault. Sam leans the flowers in front of the crucifix. An arm covered in dirt shoots out of the ground and grabs Sam by the wrist.

Sam jerks awake. It is November 10th 2005, he is riding shotgun next to Dean, Foreigner's "Hot-Blooded" is playing, and the cemetery visit is days behind them if it ever occurred. Buffy lounges out in the back seat. After a week of leaving Sunnydale that seat has been officially claimed as hers. The Slayer is almost back to her old self, even though see was ripped from Heaven. She believes if she stayed in Sunnydale she probably wouldn't have survived. Sam blinks and rubs his eyes. Dean looks over, concerned.

"You okay?" Dean asks obviously concerned. Sam glances over and away.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Sam says lying through hi teeth. Dean nods.

"Another nightmare?" Buffy asks from her comfy position. Sam clears his throat. Only knowing them about a week Buffy already knew that the Winchesters didn't talk about their emotions. They let them stay bottled up inside for as long as possible. Which was alright with her after all it takes a bottle upper to know one.

"You wanna drive for a while?" Dean interjects. Sam laughs an answers his question with a retort. "Dean, your whole life you never once asked me that."

"Just thought you might want to. Never mind."

"Look, guys you're worried about me. I get it, and thank you, but I'm perfectly okay."

"Mm-hm." Dean says unconvinced.

"I've known you guy only a week and I can already tell your lying." She knew from his voice and being in this position once herself. A flash of her beloved Angel before she shoved a sword through his chest flickered in her mind but she quickly pushes it away. Dean looks in the review mirror and gives Buffy a small smile. Sam grabs a map.

"All right, where are we?"

"We are just outside of Grand Junction." Dean says his smile gone and his eyes once again on the road. Sam folds down the map, which is of Colorado and has a large red X labeled 35-111.

"You know what? Maybe we shouldn't have left Stanford so soon."

Buffy couldn't help but mumble under her breath," Great to know you wanted to meet me." But neither boy heard.

"Sam, we dug around there for a week. We came up with nothing. If you wanna find the thing that killed Jessica—" Dean started but was cut off by Sam who said, "We gotta find Dad first." The boys didn't tell their new companion everything due to distrust, she knew it but she couldn't blame them. She wasn't completely honest either. All she knew was their dad was/is a hunter after their mother (his wife) was killed by a demon and has gone missing. That's what she liked about the boys ( not their mother being killed part) but how they were thrown into this life with no way out , chosen, like her. Unlike her 'friends' who choose to be apart of this gig, blame her, and then expect her to fix everything like nothing even happened. "Dad disappearing and this thing showing up again after twenty years, it's no coincidence. Dad will have answers. He'll know what to do."

"It's weird, man. These coordinates he left us. This Blackwater Ridge."

"What about it?"

"There's nothing there. It's just woods." Sam puts down the map.

"Why is he sending us to the middle of nowhere?" They drove past the National Forest sign that says, "Welcome to Lost Creek Colorado National Forest".

The Impala is parked next to a sign that reads "Ranger Station Lost Creek Trail, Lost Creek National Forest".

"So Blackwater Ridge is pretty remote." Sam says.

"Basically a One-Starbucks town." Buffy simplified. The trio enter the Ranger Station. Sam looks at a 3D map of the national forest, paying particular attention to the ridge labeled "BLACKWATER RIDGE". Dean and Buffy look at the decorations. "It's cut off by these canyons here, rough terrain, dense forest, abandoned silver and gold mines all over the place."

"Dude, check out the size of this freaking bear." Dean calls looking at a framed photo of a man standing behind a much larger bear. Sam comes to stand next to Dean and Buffy.

"And a dozen or more grizzlies in the area. It's no nature hike, that's for sure."

"You're like a text book with arms." Buffy says with a smile to let him know she's kidding. " Hello" Buffy says still looking at the picture if she could see the boy's faces, she would see a confused look. A forest ranger, ranger Wilkinson walks up behind them; when he speaks, Dean and Sam whip around, startled while Buffy turns normally.

" Good hearing." The ranger says surprised that she could hear him when the young men couldn't. "You guys aren't planning on going out near Blackwater Ridge by any chance?"

"Oh, no, sir, we're environmental study majors from UC Boulder, just working on a paper." Sam laughs a little. Dean grins and raises a fist.

"Recycle, man."

"Bull." Sam's eyes flick to Dean, who doesn't move. "You're friends with that Haley girl, right?" Buffy considers what the man said.

"Yes. Yes, we are, Ranger—" Buffy checks the ranger's name tag. "Wilkinson." She finishes with a charming smile.

"Well I will tell you exactly what we told her. Her brother filled out a backcountry permit saying he wouldn't be back from Blackwater until the twenty-fourth, so it's not exactly a missing persons now, is it?" Buffy shakes her head. "You tell that girl to quit worrying, I'm sure her brother's just fine."

"We will. Well that Haley girl's quite a pistol, huh?" Dean says with a light smirk.

"That is putting it mildly." The ranger replies blandly.

"Actually you know what would help is if I could show her a copy of that backcountry permit. You know, so she could see her brother's return date." The ranger eyes Dean unsure of his motives while Dean raises his eyebrows.

Dean, Sam, and Buffy leave the ranger station. Dean is holding a piece of paper and laughing until Sam says, "What, are you cruising for a hookup or something?"

"What do you mean?" Dean asks his smile gone. Buffy senses this is a brother to brother conversation and decides to butt out of it and hang back while the brothers continue to walk to the car.

"The coordinates point to Blackwater Ridge, so what are we waiting for? Let's just go find Dad. I mean, why even talk to this girl?" Dean and Sam stop on opposite sides of the Impala.

"I don't know, maybe we should know what we're walking into before we actually walk into it?" A pause.

"What?"

"Since when are you all shoot first ask questions later, anyway?"

"Since now." Sam turns away the sound of the car door opening is heard by Buffy

"Really?" Dean goes around the car. "You coming Blondie?" Dean asks his voice laced with attitude. Buffy quickly hurries over to the car and gets in. The rest of the trip is made in silence expect for the loud music and the heavy tension.

* * *

Dean, Sam, and Buffy are standing at the door to a house, which opens to reveal Haley Collins. With her dark hair framing her face, that dangerous look in her eyes, Buffy almost mistook her for Faith. "You must be Haley Collins. I'm Dean, this is Sam, we're, ah, we're rangers with the Park Service and this is our... protégée, Buffy." Dean says, his quick thinking giving Buffy a cover story for future use. "Ranger Wilkinson sent us over. He wanted us to ask a few questions about your brother Tommy."

Haley hesitates and looks at them questionably.

"Lemme see some ID." Dean pulls out a fake ID and holds it up against the screen. Haley looks at it, then at Dean, who smiles. Haley opens the door. "Come on in."

"Thanks." The door swings open; Haley catches sight of the Impala.

"That yours?"

"Yeah." Sam along with Buffy are looking back at the Impala.

"Nice car." Haley turns to lead the 'rangers' into the kitchen, where Ben Collins is sitting at the table on a laptop. Dean turns his head to mouth something to the others who roll their eyes, knowing it had to do with Haley's appearance.

Together they walk into the kitchen in silence until Sam finally speaks up.

"So if Tommy's not due back for a while, how do you know something's wrong?"

Haley comes back into the room with a bowl she places on the table.

"He checks in every day by cell. He emails, photos, stupid little videos we haven't heard anything in over three days now."

"Well, maybe he can't get cell reception." Sam says trying to be reasonable.

"He's got a satellite phone, too."

"Could it be he's just having fun and forgot to check in?" Dean asks.

"He wouldn't do that." Ben says from the table. Dean eyes Ben as Ben looks away. Haley puts more food on the table.

"Our parents are gone. It's just my two brothers and me. We all keep pretty close tabs on each other."

"Can I see the pictures he sent you?" Sam asks.

"Yeah." She takes the computer away from Ben and pulls up pictures. "That's Tommy." Haley clicks twice and another picture comes up, then the still frame opening the latest video.

"Hey Haley, day six, we're still out near Blackwater Ridge. We're fine, keeping safe, so don't worry. Talk to you tomorrow." Tom said in his tent. Sam spots the shadow flicking past.

"Well, we'll find your brother. We're heading out to Blackwater Ridge first thing." Buffy said.

"Then maybe I'll see you there. Look, I can't sit around here anymore. So I hired a guy. I'm heading out in the morning, and I'm gonna find Tommy myself."

" I know how you feel." Buffy says truthfully, after being there herself to many times. She knows how it feels to just wait and hope.

"Hey, do you mind forwarding these to me?" Sam asks wanting to further observe the shadow.

"Sure."

* * *

At the bar later that night someone breaks a game of pool. A waitress goes past carrying beer. Normally Buffy wouldn't be at a bar like this, especially since the cave girl Buffy experience but she is finding it a heavy occurrence with the young hunters. Of course she doesn't drink … okay maybe one or two beers but hell, she did crawl from her own grave, what do you expect? Sam, Dean, and Buffy sit down at a table.

"So, Blackwater Ridge doesn't get a lot of traffic. Local campers, mostly. But still, this past April, two hikers went missing out there. They were never found." Sam says while opening John's journal.

"Any before that?" Buffy questions. Sam pulls out newspaper articles to show the pair.

"Yeah, in 1982, eight different people all vanished in the same year. Authorities said it was a grizzly attack." Dean reads the headline in The Lost Creek Gazette.

'**GRIZZLY BEAR ATTACKS!**

**UP TO EIGHT HIKERS VANISH IN LOST CREEK AREA**

**HIKERS DISAPPEARANCE BAFFLE AUTHORITIES'**

Families continue search and rescue efforts in spite of disappointing ...

Sam pulls out his laptop. "And again in 1959 and again before that in 1936."

Sam opens the laptop, which already has a window open to Tom's video.

"Every twenty-three years, just like clockwork. Okay. Watch this. Here's a clincher. I downloaded that guy Tommy's video to the laptop. Check this out." Sam pulls up the video and goes through three frames of the video one at a time. A shadow crosses the screen.

"What was that?" Buffy asks while Dean demands, "Do it again." Sam repeats the frames.

"That's three frames. That's a fraction of a second. Whatever that thing is, it can move." Dean hits Sam. Sam looks up.

"Told you something weird was going on."

"Yeah." Sam closes the laptop. "I got one more thing." Sam hands over another newspaper article. "In 'fifty-nine one camper survived this supposed grizzly attack. Just a kid. Barely crawled out of the woods alive."

Dean looks at The Lost Creek Gazette.

"Is there a name?"

* * *

An old man, Mr. Shaw, talks to Buffy, Sam, and Dean while leading them inside his house. Shaw has a cigarette in his mouth and says," Look, ranger, I don't know why you're asking me about this. It's public record. I was a kid. My parents got mauled by a-" Sam interrupts.

"Grizzly? That's what attacked them?" Shaw takes a puff of his cigarette, takes it out, and nods.

"The other people that went missing that year, those bear attacks too?" Dean says. There's a pause until "What about all the people that went missing this year? Same thing?" Another pause filled with heated silence.

"We knew what we were dealing with, we might be able to stop it." Buffy says, seeing that Dean wasn't making any progress.

" I seriously doubt that. Anyways, I don't see what difference it would make." Shaw says while sitting down. "You wouldn't believe me. Nobody ever did." Buffy sits down across from Shaw.

"Mr. Shaw, what did you see?" Buffy says softly. Shaw pauses.

"Nothing. It moved too fast to see. It hid too well. I heard it, though. A roar. Like...no man or animal I ever heard."

"It came at night?" Sam says. Shaw nods." Got inside your tent?"

"It got inside our cabin. I was sleeping in front of the fireplace when it came in. It didn't smash a window or break the door. It unlocked it. Do you know of a bear that could do something like that? I didn't even wake up till I heard my parents screaming."

"It killed them?"

"Dragged them off into the night." Shaw shakes his head. "Why it left me alive...been asking myself that ever since." A pause. Shaw's hands go to his collar. "Did leave me this, though." Shaw opens his collar to reveal three long scars. Claw marks. Sam, Buffy, and Dean look at them. "There's something evil in those woods. It was some sort of a demon."

Dean and Sam walk the length of a corridor with rooms on either side with Buffy in tow.

"Spirits and demons don't have to unlock doors. If they want inside, they just go through the walls." Dean says.

"So it's probably something else, something corporeal." Sam replies.

"Corporeal? Excuse me, professor."

"Shut up. So what do you think?"

"Werewolf?" Buffy asks.

"No, cycles wrong. The claws, the speed that it moves...could be a skinwalker, maybe a black dog. Whatever we're talking about, we're talking about a creature, and it's corporeal. Which means we can kill it."

Dean opens the trunk of the Impala, then the weapons box, and props it open with a shotgun. He puts some guns in a duffel bag. Sam leans in.

"We cannot let that Haley girl go out there."

"Oh yeah? What are we gonna tell her? That she can't go into the woods because of a big scary monster?" Dean asks now leaning against the side of the car.

"Yeah." Buffy says and receives a bewildered look from Sam and Dean.

"Her brother's missing, guys. She's not gonna just sit this out. Now we go with her, we protect her, and we keep our eyes peeled for our fuzzy predator friend. I knew a girl just like her and if she's anything like Faith she won't take this easily." Dean picks up the duffel.

"Finding Dad's not enough?" Sam slams the weapons box shut, then the trunk. "Now we gotta baby-sit too?" Dean stares at Sam while Buffy slowly walks away. "What?"

"Nothing." Dean says even though he's wearing what Buffy would call a 'something face'. He throws the duffel bag at Sam and walks off toward Buffy. Sam stares after him.

"No gun?" Dean asks Buffy when he walks up to her.

"I have a stake in the bags and trust me guns and Buffy are one of those unmixy things." Buffy says while showing off her own weapon of a pocket knife in her red jacket.

"Are the other unmixy things?" Dean says jokingly.

Without hesitation she answers," Beer."

"Beer?" ha asks unable to think that someone could live without it. She nods. "Any more?"

"Any more yes. Will I tell you? No." Buffy says jokingly, it wasn't fair he knew so much more about her then vice versa. Dean gives Buffy a look that she had to struggle with not to want to jump him on the spot. _Cool it, Summers. _Unable to not tease him, like he teased her she adds, "Play your cards right and I'll tell ya." She says with a sly smile and walks away once again. She couldn't help but tease the man that she was slightly attracted to. She's not going to lie to herself, she has eyes but a guy like that would never want a freak like her. Dateville population- not Buffy. "Damn" Dean says quietly, a smile of his own plastered on his face as he walks to catch up with her. He was and is attracted to the petite blonde as well, but he didn't believe he could be with her. Hell, the longest girl he was with was what, a month? She would want commitment. But that doesn't mean he can't do a little flirting.

* * *

A man, Roy, talks to Haley (who is wearing shorts) and Ben while checking a shotgun. They're all carrying full backpacks and are walking in the brightly lit forest.

"I'll tell you again, I don't think Ben should come." Roy says to Haley.

"Roy—" she whines, ready to argue if need be.

"Look, you're paying me good money to keep everybody safe. I think Ben's safest at home." Suddenly the Impala pulls up. Roy, Haley, and Ben stare. Haley shakes her head. Sam, Dean, and Buffy get out of the car. Sam opens the back door of the Impala and pulls out the duffel bag.

"You guys got room for three more?" Dean asks, not caring if she said no.

"Wait, you want to come with us?" Haley asks trying to clarify.

"Who are these guys?" Roy asks.

"Apparently this is all the park service could muster up for the search and rescue." Sam heads past everyone.

"You're rangers?" Roy asks mostly to Buffy.

"That's right." Buffy says a little pissed at his assumption of her.

"And you're hiking out in knee boots, a red leather jacket, and jeans?" Haley says. Buffy looks down at herself.

"Well, I don't do shorts. Unless they match which they wouldn't. I mean come on. I do have some dignity." Buffy heads past Haley while the two brothers gawk at the display.

"What, you think this is funny? It's dangerous back country out there. Her brother might be hurt." Roy says upset that someone could joke about the wilderness. Buffy turns back.

"Believe us. We know how dangerous this could get. We just wanna help her find her brother, that's all."

Somewhere in the forest a mine shaft lets in light. Tom and Gary are hanging by their wrists from the ceiling, bloody. There are assorted corpses with them. A strange growling starts. Gary spots a tall skinny shape and starts yelling. Tommy does his best to turn away and does close his eyes tightly as Gary yells.

The group hikes through the forest, Roy in the lead, then Dean, Haley, Ben, Sam, and Buffy bringing up the rear.

"Roy, you said you did a little hunting." Dean says trying to start conversation.

"Yeah, more than a little."

"Uh-huh. What kind of furry critters do you hunt?"

"Mostly buck, sometimes bear." Dean passes Roy.

"Tell me, uh, Bambi or Yogi ever hunt you back?" Roy grabs Dean. While Sam and Buffy look on.

"Whatcha doing, Roy?" Roy grabs a stick and pokes the bear trap Dean had almost stepped in. Haley looks annoyed.

"You should watch where you're stepping. Ranger." Roy says, with a sneer. Roy drops the stick and retakes the lead.

"It's a bear trap." Dean says flippantly and they hike on. Haley catches up to Dean.

"You didn't pack any provisions. You guys are carrying a duffel bag. You're not rangers." Haley grabs Dean's arm. "So who the hell are you?" Ben goes past Haley and Dean. Sam and Buffy look at Dean, who indicates with his expression that they are to go on by; they obey. Dean watches them go for a moment.

"Sam and I are brothers, and we're looking for our father. He might be here, we don't know. I just figured that you and me, we're in the same boat."

"Why didn't you just tell me that from the start? And what about the girl?"

"I'm telling you now. 'sides, it's probably the most honest I've ever been with a woman...ever. The girl's... a new addition I guess. So we okay?"

A pause.

"Yeah, okay."

"And what do you mean I didn't pack provisions?" Dean pulls out a big bag of peanut M&Ms and sticks his hand in the bag as he hikes on. Haley waits a moment, then follows.

Roy leads the way, followed by Sam, Ben, Haley, Buffy and Dean.

"This is it. Blackwater Ridge." Roy declares. Sam heads past Roy and says," What coordinates are we at?" Roy pulls out a GPS, which reads N 35o 45.383, W 111o 00.55.

"Thirty-five and minus one-eleven." Dean, and Buffy come up to Sam.

"You guys hear that?" Buffy asks, her slayer hearing allowing her to hear a lot farther then the boys, but still wanting to confirm.

"Yeah. Not even crickets."

"I'm gonna go take a look around." Roy says, eyeing the looming trees.

"You shouldn't go off by yourself." Buffy says trying to protect the man from the horrors he doesn't know of.

"That's sweet, Princess. Don't worry about me." Roy waves his gun and pushes between the trio to retake the lead. Buffy ( looking extremely pissed at the princess comment) stares after him. Dean turns back to the others as Ben and Haley catch up.

"All right, everybody stays together. Let's go." Dean says.

The foursome are looking around near a large rock when out of the blue they hear, "Haley! Over here!" Roy calls. Haley runs towards Roy's voice, followed closely by the others. They come to a halt.

"Oh my God." Haley whispers at the sight she sees. The tents are torn open and bloody with all the supplies scattered. The campsite is in ruins and is hard for the siblings to stomach.

"Looks like a grizzly." Roy says. Dean and Haley look around.

"Tommy?" She calls, trying to quench the fear in her. Haley takes off her backpack and goes through the campsite. "Tommy!" she calls louder. Sam moves to catch up with Haley.

"Shh." Sam orders, not wanting the beast to hear them.

"Tommy!" Haley calls again, ignoring the advice from the youngest Winchester.

"Shh-hh-hh!"

"Why?" Her voice laces with confusion. They want to help her find Tommy... don't they?

"Something might still be out there." He says, his voice hiding a double meaning.

"Sam! Dean!" Buffy calls. Sam and Dean go over to Buffy, snapping a stick Dean crouches next to her.

"The bodies were dragged from the campsite. But here, the tracks just vanish. That's weird." Dean and Buffy stand up. Sam gives Buffy a weird look, forcing her to elaborate on where she learned that. "Sunnydale. Guys trying to build the perfect girl. It had a really big ick factor. You know I do have brains."

"Anyway, I'll tell you what, that's no skinwalker or black dog." Dean says and goes back to the campsite while the other two follows. Haley picks up Tom's cell phone; it's bloody. She cries. She turns the phone over and the back is open. Dean crouches next to her.

"Hey, he could still be alive." Haley gives Dean a look.

"Help! Help!" A shout says, echoing through the forest. Roy leads the way as everyone runs to the aid of the shouter. "Help! Somebody!" They find no one.

"It seemed like it was coming from around here, didn't it?" Haley says, very confused. They listen.

"Everybody back to camp." Sam says, an idea of what's happening forming in his mind. Back at the campsite, all the supplies are missing.

"Our packs!" Haley says at the same time while Buffy says, "My stake!" after getting a curious look from Ben she adds, "House. My statehouse coupon. Yup... that's what it was... my... coupon." Buffy looks for away out of this conversation and slowly backs up, "I'm just gonna." She points behind her and awkwardly walks away. Luckily for her no one else was paying attention.

"So much for my GPS and my satellite phone." Roy says.

"What the hell is going on?" Haley asks.

"It's smart. It wants to cut us off so we can't call for help." Sam says, now knowing for a fact what they are hunting.

"You mean someone, some nut job out there just stole all our gear." Sam goes to Dean and Buffy.

"I need to speak with you. In private. Buff could you watch them?" Taking her nod as a yes together they head a little ways away from the group. "Good. Let me see Dad's journal." Dean hands it over and Sam opens it and flips through until he finds a particular page. "All right, check that out." Sam points to a First Nations style drawing of a figure.

"Oh come on, wendigos are in the Minnesota woods or, northern Michigan. I've never even heard of one this far west."

"Think about it, Dean, the claws, the way it can mimic a human voice."

"Great." Dean takes out his pistol. "Well then this is useless." Sam gives Dean back John's journal and heads past Dean, stopping for a moment.

"We gotta get these people to safety." Back at the campsite, Sam addresses the group. "All right, listen up, it's time to go. Things have gotten...more complicated."

"Kid, don't worry. Whatever's out there, I think I can handle it." Roy says, holding his gun, putting all his trust in that weapon. If only he knew how wrong he was.

"It's not me I'm worried about. If you shoot this thing, you're just gonna make it mad. We have to leave. Now."

"One, you're talking nonsense. Two, you're in no position to give anybody orders."

"Relax." Dean says but is ignored.

"We never should have let you come out here in the first place, all right? I'm trying to protect you." Roy steps right into Sam's space.

"You protect me? I was hunting these woods when your mommy was still kissing you good night." This comment struck a cord. This would never happen, not again. She was gone and for that Sam got angrier, and said a few things he probably shouldn't have.

"Yeah? It's a damn near perfect hunter. It's smarter than you, and it's gonna hunt you down and eat you alive unless we get your stupid sorry ass out of here." Roy laughs.

"You know you're crazy, right?"

"Yeah? You ever hunt a wen—" Buffy (using her slayer strength) moves faster then any of them notice and pushes Sam and Roy away from each other.

"Roy!" Haley calls.

"Okay that enough. One more display of testosterone poisoning and I will personally put you both in the hospital." Buffy says annoyed that Sam was fighting instead of trying to find Tommy. _Wow déjà vu_. Dean gives a slight smirk but it goes unnoticed.

"Stop. Stop it. Everybody just stop. I agree with Buffy. Look. Tommy might still be alive. And I'm not leaving here without him." A long pause. No sounds are heard until finally, " It's getting late. This thing is a good hunter in the day, but an unbelievable hunter at night. We'll never beat it, not in the dark. We need to settle in and protect ourselves." Dean says retaking control of the situation.

"How?"

* * *

The group has built a campfire, the once beautiful sun gone. The campsite is now covered in darkness of the night. Dean draws something in the dirt around the campsite while Haley pokes at the fire. "One more time, that's—"Haley starts but is cut off by Dean who finishes her statement, "Anasazi symbols. It's for protection. The wendigo can't cross over them." Roy laughs, gun over his shoulder. "Nobody likes a skeptic, Roy." Dean heads over to sit next to Sam and Buffy, who are at the edge of the campsite. "You wanna tell me what's going on in your guys freaky head ?"

"Dean—" Sam starts.

"No, you're not fine. You're like a powder keg, man, it's not like you. I'm supposed to be the belligerent one, remember?"

"Dad's not here. I mean, that much we know for sure, right? He would have left us a message, a sign, right?"

"Yeah, you're probably right. Tell you the truth, I don't think Dad's ever been to Lost Creek."

"Then let's get these people back to town and let's hit the road. Go find Dad. I mean, why are we still even here?"

"This is why." Dean comes around to Sam's front and holds up John's journal. "This book. This is Dad's single most valuable possession—everything he knows about every evil thing is in here. And he's passed it on to us. I think he wants us to pick up where he left off. You know, saving people, hunting things. The family business." Sam shakes his head.

"That makes no sense. Why doesn't he just—call us? Why doesn't he—tell us what he wants, tell us where he is?"

"I dunno. But the way I see it, Dad's giving us a job to do, and I intend to do it."

"Dean...no. I gotta find Dad. I gotta find Jessica's killer. It's the only thing I can think about."

"Okay, all right, Sam, we'll find them, I promise. Listen to me. You've gotta prepare yourself. I mean, this search could take a while, and all that anger, you can't keep it burning over the long haul. It's gonna kill you. You gotta have patience, man." Sam looks down, then up.

"How do you guys do it? How does Dad do it?" Dean looks over at Haley and Ben.

"Well for one, them." Sam looks over at Haley and Ben. "I mean, I figure our family's so screwed to hell, maybe we can help some others. Makes things a little bit more bearable."

"Not to intrude on your brother to brother moment," Buffy starts," but I learned a long time ago that... strong is fighting. It's hard and it's painful and it's everyday but we can do it together. You know if you want me to stick around. We are such a pathic B-rated chick flick right now." The brothers look at her, chuckle, and then back at the ground. The trio are quiet for a moment, the only sound the cracking of the fire as they contemplate on what they said.

"I'll tell you what else helps." Dean says finally breaking the silence. Sam looks back at Dean while Buffy slowly lifts up her head. "Killing as many evil sons of bitches as I possibly can." Sam smiles and Buffy lets out a small chuckle. A twig suddenly snaps ruining their short moment. Someone, presumably the wendigo yelps, "Help me! Please!" Dean stands and readies his gun. "Help!" Sam shines a flashlight about.

"He's trying to draw us out. Just stay cool, stay put." Dean says.

"Inside the magic circle?" Roy asks sarcastically.

"Help! Help me!" The monster calls again when a random, inhumane growling starts. Roy points his gun at the sound.

"Okay, that's no grizzly." He remarks.

Haley talks to Ben. "It's okay. You'll be all right, I promise." Something rushes past them, too fast for the human eye. Haley shrieks.

"It's here." Sam announces. Roy shoots at the rustling, then again.

"I hit it!" Roy declares and goes to see what he hit.

"Roy, no! Roy!" Dean says in warning.

Dean turns to Haley and Ben.

"Don't move. Buff watch them." Buffy is ready to protest, tired of being treated like a porcelain doll but it is too late and the boys are gone. She looks around to see Haley holding a stick, burning at one end, as a weapon. The Slayer sighs and takes out the pocket knife she had with her, knowing it wouldn't help but enjoying to be somewhat useful.

"It's over here! It's in the tree!" Roy yells excitedly, happy to prove the 'rangers' are just a bunch of nut jobs. A rustle in the leaves is the last sound he hears as the wendigo reaches down from the tree and snaps his neck.

"Roy!" Sam shines the flashlight around, unknowing that their search is fruitless.

* * *

Sam is sitting against a hollow tree stump, holding John's journal and playing with a lanyard attached it. Buffy is next to Sam and is sharpening a stick to make a new stake, unconsciously mumbling things like' Stupid wendigo... Just had a manicure...'. Sam only heard bits and pieces but could have sworn he heard something about 'Mr. Pointy' but decided to say nothing. Dean, Haley, and Ben remain among the tents.

"I don't...I mean, these types of things, they aren't supposed to be real." The Faith look-a-like says.

"I wish I could tell you different." replies the demon hunter.

"How do we know it's not out there watching us?"

"We don't. But we're safe for now."

"How do you know about this stuff?" A moment of silence over comes them while Dean considers. Finally he settles on, "Kind of runs in the family." Sam comes over, he cares for Buffy, really he does but if he has to hear her self babbling one more minute...

"Hey." Sam says ending his thoughts. Haley stands up. "So we've got half a chance in the daylight. And I for one want to kill this evil son of a bitch."

"Well, hell, you know I'm in." Buffy says walking up behind Sam. Sam shows the wendigo page of John's journal to Haley and Ben.

"'Wendigo' is a Cree Indian word. It means 'evil that devours'." Sam starts the 'history' lesson. Buffy acted like she was bored out of her wits, but in all reality she wanted to know more about the creature she never heard off.

"They're hundreds of years old. Each one was once a man. Sometimes an Indian, or other times a frontiersman or a miner or hunter. "Dean says.

"How's a man turn into one of those things?" Haley pipes up. Dean picks a couple things up off the ground.

"Well, it's always the same. During some harsh winter a guy finds himself starving, cut off from supplies or help. Becomes a cannibal to survive, eating other members of his tribe or camp."

"Like the Donner Party." Ben says.

"Cultures all over the world believe that eating human flesh gives a person certain abilities. Speed, strength, immortality." Sam adds. Catching herself from looking too interested Buffy adds with a small smile, "Could you from anywhere else but Planet Pocket Protector?" Sam's only response is an embarrassed look but it quickly becomes hidden.

"If you eat enough of it, over years, you become this less than human thing. You're always hungry." Dean continues, her comment stored in his mind for future use.

"So if that's true, how can Tommy still be alive?" Haley says.

"You're not gonna like it." Dean glances at Sam, then back to Haley.

"Tell me." Haley asks wanting to know, needing to know.

"More than anything, a wendigo knows how to last long winters without food. It hibernates for years at a time, but when it's awake it keeps its victims alive. It, uh, it stores them, so it can feed whenever it wants. If your brother's alive, it's keeping him somewhere dark, hidden, and safe. We gotta track it back there."

"And then how do we stop it?"

"Well, guns are useless, so are knives. Basically—" Dean holds up the can of lighter fluid, the beer bottle, and the white cloth he'd picked up." We gotta torch the sucker."

Dean leads the way through the woods, Molotov cocktail in hand. Haley follows, then Ben, then Buffy, then Sam. They pass trees with claw marks and blood. Hours pass by in which Sam has taken the lead.

"Dean. Buffy." Sam says. Dean and Buffy catch up.

"What is it?" Dean asks. He turns to Buffy and sees her starring at the trees. He suddenly looks at them as well and sees bloody claw marks and broken branches everywhere.

"You know, I was thinking, those claw prints, so clear and distinct. They were almost too easy to follow." Sam, Dean, and Buffy whip around once they hear growling and they see the trees rustle. Haley is standing under a tree. Blood drips on her shirt. She notices and looks up, then leaps out of the way as Roy's corpse lands where she'd stood. Dean examines Roy as Sam goes over to Haley while Buffy examines the area, watching for movement.

"His neck's broke." Dean says in regards to Roy's body. Sam helps Haley up. More growling.

"Okay, run, run, run, run, go, go, go!" Dean demands. Everybody takes off. Ben falls and Sam, and Buffy hurry back to help him up, dividing the group three and two.

"Come on, I gotcha, I gotcha." Sam says. Dean and Haley stop short: the wendigo is in front of them. Haley screams.

"Haley?" Ben asks when they hear the scream. Sam stops running and picks up Dean's Molotov cocktail, the bottle broken.

"Dean!" Sam and Buffy call.

"If it keeps its victims alive, why would it kill Roy?" Ben questions as the three search the forest, hoping for a clue to find the missing companions.

"Honestly? I think because Roy shot at it, pissed it off." Sam says with fake calmness. Ben finds a trail of peanut M&Ms and picks one up.

"They went this way." Sam catches up to Ben, who hands over the M&M. Sam laughs.

"It's better than breadcrumbs." Sam tosses the M&M away.

* * *

The small group follow the trail. They come to a mine entrance marked with a sign that says: **WARNING! DANGER! DO NOT ENTER EXTREMELY TOXIC MATERIAL**. Sam looks at Ben, shrugs, and goes inside. Ben follows with Buffy close behind. Above the entrance is a larger sign that says **KEEP OUT NO ADMITTANCE**.

Sam shines the flashlight ahead of them. The growling is heard again. Sam shuts off the light and Buffy pulls Ben against the wall. The wendigo comes towards them. Buffy covers Ben's mouth before he can scream using her now ruined manicured hands as Sam inches closer to the wall. The wendigo takes a different tunnel at the crossing. They ley out their breath they had holded, and conituned through the unknown mine. The floorboards they are walking on creak under their weight and they all fall through the floor; they land in a pile of bones. Human bones. There is another pile nearby of skulls. Ben spots them and leaps backward.

"Hey, it's okay, it's okay, it's okay." Sam says trying to comfort the kid. They look up to see Ben and Haley hanging by their wrists from the ceiling. Sam and Buffy run to Dean, Ben to Haley.

"Dean!" Sam says while Buffy retrieves her pocket knife.

"Haley, wake up!" Ben calls, fear etched on his features. Sam grabs Dean and shakes him.

"Dean!" Dean slowly opens his eyes. "Hey, you okay?" Dean winces and replies, "Yeah."

"Haley, Haley, wake up, wake up!" Ben says becoming frantic. Buffy cuts Dean down and Ben takes care of Haley. They help them over to an empty patch of floor and get them sat down. Dean makes pained noises alerting Sam.

"You sure you're all right?" Sam repeats once fully comprehending the blood and dirt on his brother's face. Dean grimaces. "Yeah. Yep. Where is he?"

"He's gone for now." Haley divests herself of rope. She stands up and spots Tom still hanging and starts crying.

"Tommy..." She whispers, eyes gleaming with unshed tears. Haley touches Tom's cheek. Tom's head jerks up. Haley jumps back and shrieks. She turns to Buffy.

"Cut him down!" Buffy cuts Tom down.

"We're gonna get you home." The stolen supplies are piled into the dark, dirty corner. Dean notices and picks up the flare guns.

"Check it out." He declares, happy that he soon will be able to kill the monster that injured him.

"Flare guns. Those'll work." Sam grins. Dean laughs and twirls the guns.

They head down a tunnel, Dean, Buffy, and Sam in the lead with the flare guns and Haley and Ben supporting Tom, who is limping. They hear the beast coming due to its low growl.

"Looks like someone's home for supper." Buffy remarks coldly. She did not come back from the dead just to be eaten by a petty excuse for a monster.

"We'll never outrun it." Haley says. Dean looks back at the others.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Yeah, I think so." Sam says.

"No what." Buffy asks, she always hated not knowing.

"All right, listen to me. Stay with Sam. He's gonna get you out of here." Dean says to the scared family.

"What am I chopped liver?" But again no one hears her. With an exasperated sigh she moves on. It was different with the Winchesters. A good different not a bad one. Back home every one would always expect her to have a plan, it was nice to be the one that doesn't have to for once. It was nice to have other people too rely on. It was a lot easier to just be Buffy. Not Slayer Buffy, or Superhero Buffy, but just Buffy Anne Summers. Yeah okay she would want to actually know the plan but still on the road it was like they were all one small family. Except when the brothers fought, then it was just one big awkward silence thing which was a lot.

"What are you gonna do?" Haley's only reply was a wink from Dean. Soon Dean starts walking and yelling.

"Chow time, you freaky bastard! Yeah, that's right, bring it on, baby, I'm taste good." The rest of Dean's words are indistinct as he walks farther away from the group. Sam waits until Dean is a safe distance away until finally, "All right, come on! Hurry!" The family and The Slayer follow Sam down the tunnel.

In the tunnel Dean is still screaming away, "Hey! Hey, you want some white meat, bitch! I'm right here!" Cocky as ever Dean continues his journey.

Together the group consisting of Sam, Buffy, Haley, Ben, and Tom hurry down a tunnel. Sam points the gun at the sound he hears while Buffy readies her fists. Seeing that they can't see the monster Sam lowers his flare gun and turns to the Collinses.

"Get him outta here." Sam says directing his words to Haley who is holding the barley conscious body of a limp Tommy.

"Sam, no." Haley gets ready to protest.

"Go! Go! Go!" He demands.

"Come on, Haley" Ben urges. Haley and Ben help Tom along the mine tunnel. Sam holds the flare gun ready to shoot, looking down the tunnel.

"Come on. Come on" Sam and Buffy turn to see the wendigo right in their face. Sam shoots and misses, then runs after the Collinses.

"Sam! Buffy!" Haley calls. The two catch up.

"Come on, hurry, hurry, hurry." They run to the end of the tunnel, the wendigo right behind.

"Get behind us." Buffy says. Sam is large enough to hide the three while Buffy can fight if need be. The wendigo approaches, taking its time. Buffy seeing as she has no choice steeps up to her opponent. Buffy is doing well and holding her own in the fight until the wendigo moves to fast for her to see and rams its shoulder into her chest. It then slams her against the wall, knocking the wind out of her and embedding a very deep claw in her shoulder. Dean comes up behind the wendigo.

"Hey!" He shouts. The wendigo turns. Dean shoots it in the stomach. The flare goes off and the wendigo goes up in flames." Not bad, huh?" Sam grins. While Buffy holds her shoulder in pain, blood seeping through her clothes. "There goes this outfit."

* * *

An ambulance loads up Tom outside of the ranger station at night. Two police officers interview Ben while Sam stands behind him.

"And the bear came back again after you yelled at it?" The officer questions while never looking up from the notes.

"That's when it circled the campsite. I mean, this grizzly must have weighed eight hundred, nine hundred pounds." Ben says to the gullible officer while Sam nods.

"All right, we'll go after it first thing." Haley talks to Dean; both have already been patched up.

"So I don't know how to thank you." Dean smirks lasciviously. Haley smiles despite herself. "Must you cheapen the moment?"

"Yeah." A paramedic comes up to Haley. "You riding with your brother?"

"Yeah."

The paramedic heads back to the ambulance. Haley turns to Ben. " Let's go." Sam and Ben nod at each other. Haley kisses Dean on the cheek. "I hope you find your father." Haley and Ben head for the ambulance. "Thanks, Sam. And tell Buffy I said thanks." Haley and Ben climb in the ambulance with Tom, who is shirtless and bandaged.

Sam sits on the Impala's hood with Dean.

"Close her up." One paramedic says. A third paramedic closes the ambulance doors.

"Man, I hate camping." Dean says.

"Me too." Buffy says walking up to the Impala from where she was previously having her shoulder patched up. Noises of the ambulance driving away, sirens on can be heard. "You know we're gonna find your Dad, right?"

"Yeah, I know. But in the meantime? I'm driving." Dean tosses Sam the keys after Sam says what he wanted to. Sam and Dean get in the front of the car, slamming the doors almost in sync while Buffy gets in the back and buckles up. The car starts and drives off.

"Oh and Blondie?" Dean says from the passenger seat.

"Yeah?" Buffy asks stumped on what he wants to bother her with.

" Just becuase I'm lettin' SAm drive don't think I'm gonna let you."

"Didn't count on it." And the car drives away from Blackwater Ridge, music blaring, brothers bickering, and a tired Slayer. This was where she was so post to be.

**Thanks for reading : ) Liked it?, loved it?, hated it? Leave a comment tell me what you think. Will continue this story (new chap. Wednesday) with Dead in the Water.**

**Leave any suggestions bye! à bientôt! Adios! (other 'bye' words) **


	3. Chapter 3: Dead in the Water

**The End or the Beginning?**

**Chapter 3: Dead in the Water**

**I saw a few stories resembling this and wanted to take a stab at it. I heard it was originally a challenge but I'm not sure so…. Any way….. Also in my story Buffy died in 2004/2005 so it's the start of Supernatural's season 1.**

**Sam and Dean find Buffy after she rises from her grave and things take off from there. A strong Buffy and Sam friendship and eventually Buffy/Dean **

**Thamks for all the reviews! A speical shout out to Abigael Ryan for her very sweet comment :) I named Buffy agent Fisher because I read up on the episode and agents Ford and Hamill are meant to mean the people from Star Wars. Along with Lucas who was the creator( George Lucas) That's why Buffy is Carrie FISHER who played princess Leia.**

"_I hate it when they drown me."- Buffy Summers (Season 3 Bad Girls) _

**Lake Manitoc, Wisconsin**

Will Carlton sits on the kitchen counter eating cereal, while Bill Carlton is at the table reading the newspaper. Sophie Carlton comes through the room and kisses her father on the cheek.

"Morning, Daddy." She says in her soft voice, lovely voice.

"Morning, sweetheart." Her father replies. Sophie goes to get something out of the refrigerator.

"All these workouts, Soph, I don't know. Guys don't like buff girls." Will jokes.

"Yeah, well, girls don't like guys who still live at home." Will drains the milk from his cereal bowl and slides off the counter.

"Ha ha ha." He says with false humor.

"Ha ha." She mocks back to her sibling. Sophie opens the door to leave.

"Be careful." Her father says, it was his job to worry.

"I will." Sophie closes the door.

Sophie stands on the dock, looking at the lake. This was where she belonged, not on land. Water was her element. Will watches from a distance as she dives in. She swims and comes up for air, looking around; she sees no one. She keeps swimming. She comes up for air again and looks around some more; still no one. She couldn't shake the feeling of someone watching her. Someone approaches her from underwater and pulls her under. Bubbles. Then nothing. Sophie Carlton was gone.

* * *

A truck goes past a neon sign that reads hotel, behind a building that says The Lynnwood Inn. The Impala is parked in front, the sun glistening off its black surface. The car is parked at a diner. There is a mostly empty plate in front of Dean, who is circling obituaries in a newspaper. Dean circles an obituary that reads:

**Carlton, Sophie -The Carlton family is sad to announce the death of their beloved daughter in a tragic swimming accident. Sophie Carlton, 18, was having her ... Lake Manitoc WI, **Abruptly an attractive waitress, whose name tag says Wendy, approaches.

"Can I get you anything else?" She asks/flits. Dean looks up and then back down at the paper he's reading. Sam comes over and sits down in time to hear Dean udder, "Just the check."

"Okay." Wendy walks away.

"That was weird." Sam says and off Dean look adds," You didn't do anything. Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm just not in the mood. Where's Buffy?" Sam could count the number of times he turned a girl down on his right hand. Even though he hasn't seen his brother in years this was not how he remembered his older brother. He could bed half of the restaurant with just a sweet smile. Something or more likely someone must have altered this change in him. Or then again… maybe he's just reading into it to much.

"Behind ya." Both boys are startled from the Slayer's quick and silent entrance. Dean hands Sam the newspaper which Buffy reads over his shoulder. It was a good thing Sam was sitting down or Buffy wouldn't even be able to see Dean over Sam's large muscular, frame.

"We really need to put a bell on you. Anyway take a look at this, I think I got one. Lake Manitoc, Wisconsin. Last week Sophie Carlton, eighteen, walks into the lake, doesn't walk out. Authorities dragged the water; nothing. Sophie Carlton is the third Lake Manitoc drowning this year. None of the other bodies were found either. They had a funeral two days ago."

"A funeral?" Sam questions.

"Yeah, they buried an empty coffin. For, closure or whatever."

"Closure? What closure? People don't just disappear, Dean. Other people just stop looking for them." Sam sys, his voice raising a few octaves.

"Something you want to say to me?"

"The trail for Dad. It's getting colder every day." His voice returned to somewhat normal after Buffy put a hand on his arm indicating they shouldn't make a scene.

"Exactly. So what are we supposed to do?"

"I don't know. Something. Anything."

"You know what? I'm sick of this attitude. You don't think I wanna find Dad as much as you do?"

"Yeah, I know you do, it's just—"

"I'm the one that's been with him every single day for the past two years, while you've been off to college going to pep rallies. We will find Dad, but until then, we're gonna kill everything bad between here and there. Okay?" Sam rolls his eyes. Buffy ( smartly) remained quiet during the brother's spat. She couldn't help but compare them to Dawn and herself. Even when they fought, you could tell they would die for each other, as she would for them. Wendy walks by, not even distracting Dean. His behavior still shocking Sam but he doesn't question it. At least not now.

"All right, Lake Manitoc." Buffy says with fake enthusiasm. She really didn't know how much she hated cars until she had I be stuck in one for sometimes eight hours a day.

The Impala passes a clothesline with white sheets that are fluttering in the breeze. The Impala soon crosses a bridge and passes someone fishing. It was the perfect place for a family but then again nothing's perfect. The Impala drives past a sign that reads "Welcome to Lake Manitoc WI."

The Impala pulls up in front of the Carlton house. It looks like any other, who would have known that tragedy struck only days before. The Impala's engine stops as the hunters and Slayer exit the car. Dean knocks on the door. Will Carlton opens it.

"Will Carlton?"

"Yeah, that's right." The brother to Sophie replies, unsure of what is happening.

"I'm Agent Ford. This is Agent Hamill and Agent Fisher." With a slight nod indicating who is who Dean continues," We're with the US Wildlife Service." Dean holds up an ID.

Bill Carlton is sitting on a bench on the dock. The serene water betraying its hidden darkness. Will brings Sam, Buffy, and Dean around to see him.

"She was about a hundred yards out." Will starts, telling the story the way he saw it. "That's where she got dragged down."

"And you're sure she didn't just drown?" Dean asks, wanting to get the story straight.

"Yeah. She was a varsity swimmer. She practically grew up in that lake. She was as safe out there as she was in her own bathtub."

"So no splashing? No signs of distress?" Buffy asks, trying to hide her boredom. She was a fighter not a... research finder... not a Giles! But her being with the boys had taught her you have to be both. She was learning, slowly but still. It was better then being cooped up all day in a dirty motel room. She let her thoughts run wild as the man answered the question, that was long forgotten to her.

"No, that's what I'm telling you."

"Did you see any shadows in the water? Maybe some dark shape breach the surface?" Sam asks the more elaborate questions seeing that Buffy has lost interest.

"No. Again, she was really far out there."

"You ever see any strange tracks by the shoreline?" Dean cuts in. For some reason he felt like he had to prove something. _Must be to Sammy_ he thought, _gotta let him know, until we find dad, I'm in charge._

"No, never. Why? Why, what do you think's out there?"

"We'll let you know as soon as we do." Dean heads back to the car as Buffy comes back down to earth she asks, "What about your father?" Dean stops and turns back. "Can we talk to him?" Will turns to look at Bill, then turns back.

"Look, if you don't mind, I mean...he didn't see anything and he's kind of been through a lot."

"We understand." They head to the car.

In the Impala Buffy's nerves are wearing thin. She was still upset that the wendigo took her out so easily. She was a Slayer, an out of practice one but one none the less. That kill should have been easy. Ever since she got back things were easier, she didn't have to patrol or train but now she might. With out being in Sunnydale, home of the Hellmouth there was little work she could do to train. She used to be able to beat up a fledgling and move on but now... " Pull over."

"What?" Dean asks but obeys her request and pulls over to the sidewalk.

"I need to train. I'll explain later, meet you at the motel. Call if you need anything." And with that the blonde was gone, running down the street, hair flowing behind her. Sam and Dean shared a look until Dean starts the car up again and heads to the police station.

* * *

Jake Devins talks to Sam and Dean at the police station. "Now, I'm sorry, but why does the Wildlife Service care about an accidental drowning?" The officer inquires.

"You sure it's accidental? Will Carlton saw something grab his sister." Sam spoke.

"Like what?" They walk into Jake's office. Jake motions to chairs in front of his mahogany desk.

"Here, sit, please. There are no indigenous carnivores in that lake." Sam and Dean sit. "There's nothing even big enough to pull down a person, unless it was the Loch Ness Monster."

"Yeah." Dean says and laughs. "Right." Sam glances at Dean.

"Will Carlton was traumatized, and sometimes the mind plays tricks. Still—"Jake sits down. "We dragged that entire lake. We even ran a sonar sweep, just to be sure, and there was nothing down there."

"That's weird, though, I mean, that's, that's the third missing body this year."

"I know. These are people from my town. These are people I care about."

"I know."

"Anyway..." Jake sighs. "All this...it won't be a problem much longer."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, the dam, of course." he says matter-of-factly

"Of course, the dam. It's, uh, it sprung a leak." He says trying to act like he knew the entire situation, which he knew nothing about.

"It's falling apart, and the feds won't give us the grant to repair it, so they've opened the spillway. In another six months, there won't be much of a lake. There won't be much of a town, either. But as Federal Wildlife, you already knew that."

"Exactly." A young woman, Andrea Barr, taps on the door. Her brown hair coming to rest on her shoulders and her skirt falling to her knees. "Sorry, am I interrupting?" She asks; she was always sweet. Sam and Dean stand up. "I can come back later."

"Gentlemen, this is my daughter." Jake says in regards to the girl's presence.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Dean." Dean shakes Andrea's hand.

"Andrea Barr. Hi."

"Hi."

"They're from the Wildlife Service. About the lake." Jake says, explaining why they are here.

"Oh." A boy walks in around Andrea. His mop like red hair covering his face.

"Oh, hey there. What's your name?" Dean asks but the boy walks away without speaking. Andrea follows.

"His name is Lucas." Jake fills in. The boy, Lucas and Andrea are in the main room. Andrea gives him some crayons out of a box.

"Is he okay?" Sam asks showing signs of concern.

"My grandson's been through a lot. We all have." Jake stands and goes to the office door. "Well, if there's anything else I can do for you, please let me know." Dean, Sam, and Jake leave the office.

"Thanks. You know, now that you mentioned it, could you point us in the direction of a reasonably priced motel?" Dean asks although they already have one.

"Lakefront Motel. Go around the corner. It's about two blocks south." Andrea answers.

"Two—would you mind showing us?" Andrea laughs. "You want me to walk you two blocks?"

"Not if it's any trouble."

"I'm headed that way anyway." Andrea turns to Jake. "I'll be back to pick up Lucas at three." Andrea turns to Lucas. "We'll go to the park, okay, sweetie?" Andrea kisses Lucas on the head, Dean waves as they leave, and Jake nods.

"Thanks again." Sam adds and then they're off.

* * *

Andrea leads Dean and Sam along the street.

"So, cute kid." Dean says.

"Thanks." Andrea couldn't help but smile at that comment. They cross a street.

"Kids are the best, huh?" Andrea glances at him and ignores him. They keep walking a few more steeps until they stop in front of the Lakefront Motel.

"There it is. Like I said, two blocks."

"Thanks." Sam says, grateful for her kindness even though he knew where he was going. Andrea addresses Dean. "Must be hard, with your sense of direction, never being able to find your way to a decent pickup line." Andrea leaves, calling back over her shoulder.

"Enjoy your stay!"

"'Kids are the best'? You don't even like kids." Sam mimics.

"I love kids."

"Name three children that you even know." Sam says disbelieving he could even name one. Dean thinks and comes up empty. Sam waves a hand and walks into the motel. Dean scratches his head. "I'm thinking!" he calls. If they waited a few more minutes they would have seen Buffy collide with Andrea. Literally.

"I'm so sorry." Buffy says, helping stand the woman up who fell.

"Its okay. I'm not hurt." After a beat," Are you new in town? I'm Andrea Barr."

"Yeah. Buffy Summers." She extends out her hand and they shake. After a few minutes of conversation they part ways and Buffy returns to the motel.

* * *

Sam is working on his laptop and Dean is going through his clothing when suddenly Buffy walk in the door. "Hey. What's the what?" she says plopping down on one of the two beds. Sweaty, from her training of running around the town she is glad to have a surface to relax on. After leaving Sunnydale the arraignments for sleeping have been a little awkward. Either Buffy would sleep on a bed with one of the brothers or on the couch. She normally ended up on the bed with Dean. Sam was great and all but he was like a Sasquatch compared to Buffy's petite frame. Not that she was complaining but she would never admit to his face.

"Well there's the three drowning victims this year." Sam says informing both parties on what he has learned.

"Any before that?" Dean calls.

"Uh, yeah." Sam has a browser window open to The Lake Manitoc Tribune. **DROWNING TAINTS ICE FISHING FESTIVAL.** He clicks, and another browser window comes up, again the Tribune: **12-YEAR-OLD GIRL DROWNS IN LAKE, **"Second drowning in 6 months at Lake Manitoc Six more spread out over the past thirty-five years. Those bodies were never recovered either. If there is something out there, it's picking up its pace." Dean tosses an item of clothing onto a bed.

"So, what, we got a lake monster on a binge?"

"This whole lake monster theory, it, it just bugs me." Dean and Buffy come over to read over Sam's shoulder.

"Why?"

"Loch Ness, uh, Lake Champlain, there are literally hundreds of eyewitness accounts, but here, almost nothing." Sam looks at the Tribune homepage. "Whatever it is out there, no one's living to talk about it." Sam scrolls to the comments section of an article. Buffy points at it.

"Wait, Barr, Christopher Barr. Where have I heard that name before?" Buffy says. Sam reads from the page.

"Christopher Barr, the victim in May." Sam clicks a link, opening a new page. **LOCAL MAN IN TRAGIC ACCIDENT**. The picture loads: it shows a police officer with Lucas. "Oh. Christopher Barr was Andrea's husband, Lucas's father. Apparently he took Lucas out swimming. Lucas was on a floating wooden platform when Chris drowned. Two hours before the kid got rescued." Sam clicks the picture for a better look, then scratches his head. "Maybe we have an eyewitness after all."

"I meet her a few minutes ago. Poor girl."

"No wonder that kid was so freaked out." Dean says now understanding Lucas's behavior.

"Watching one of your parents die isn't something you just get over." Buffy and Dean say in sync. Each unfortunately knowing the others experience with death.

* * *

Kids are laughing and playing at the playground, all but one. Andrea sits on a bench and watches Lucas, who is at another bench coloring and playing with toy soldiers.

"Can we join you?" Andrea looks up to find Sam, Dean, and Buffy, who is less sweaty compared to their first meeting.

" I'm here with my son." Dean looks over at Lucas.

"Oh. Mind if I say hi?" Dean goes over to Lucas not waiting for a response.

"Buffy what are you doing here?" Sam sits next to Andrea and Buffy next to him.

"Oh Sam's my... my brother. Knew he was in town had to say hi."

"Oh well tell your friend this whole Jerry Maguire thing is not gonna work on me."

"I don't think that's what this is about."

* * *

Dean approaches Lucas. "How's it going?" He asks but gets no response. Dean kneels down next to the bench where Lucas is coloring; when Lucas doesn't even look up, Dean picks up one of the toy soldiers. "Oh, I used to love these things." Dean imitates guns and explosions, then tosses the toy soldier down.

"So crayons is more your thing? That's cool. Chicks dig artists." Lucas has a pile of drawings on the bench. Dean takes a look. The top one is of a big black swirl; the second one is of a red bicycle. "Hey, these are pretty good. You mind if I sit and draw with you for a while?" Dean picks up a crayon. "I'm not so bad myself." Dean sits on the bench, picks up a pad of paper, and starts drawing. "You know, I'm thinking you can hear me, you just don't want to talk. I don't know exactly what happened to your dad, but I know it was something real bad. I think I know how you feel. When I was your age, I saw something." A pause. "Anyway. Well, maybe you don't think anyone will listen to you, or, uh...or believe you. I want you to know that I will. You don't even have to say anything. You could draw me a picture about what you saw that day, with your dad, on the lake. Okay, no problem. This is for you." Dean holds out to Lucas the picture he drew. It's stick figures.

"This is my family." Dean points at each person in turn. "That's my dad. That's my mom. That's my geek brother, and that's me." Dean looks back at his paper, "All right, so I'm a sucky artist. I'll see you around, Lucas." And with that final thought Dean heads back to Sam, Buffy, and Andrea. Lucas picks up the picture but it goes unnoticed by Dean, who approaches the group just in time to hear Andrea say, "Lucas hasn't said a word, not even to me. Not since his dad's accident."

"Yeah, we heard. Sorry." Dean says. Andrea nods at his condolence.

"What are the doctors saying?" Sam asks, curious on what could make a kid act this way.

"It's a kind of post-traumatic stress right?" Buffy asks.

"Yeah. How did you know?"

"I found... I found my mother on the couch once. She had a brain tumor so it was sudden." Buffy says, the words Tara once spoke to her coming back into her mind, _"It's always sudden." _"I sorta went catatonic for a day or two but... it gets better."

"I'm sorry."

"It feels like a life time ago." She says with a small smile at her double meaning phrase. Both boys are a little shocked, they knew her mother's death affected her greatly but never this much. "But this can't be easy. For either of you."

"We moved in with my dad. He helps out a lot. It's just...when I think about what Lucas went through, what he saw..." She trails off looking at Lucas.

"Kids are strong. You'd be surprised what they can deal with." Dean says speaking about more than just Lucas at this point. Lucas leaves the bench and heads for the group.

"You know, he used to have such life. He was hard to keep up with, to tell you the truth. Now he just sits there. Drawing those pictures, playing with those army men. I just wish—" Lucas walks up, carrying a picture. "Hey sweetie." Lucas hands Dean the picture.

"Thanks. Thanks, Lucas." Dean says. It's a picture of the Carlton house.

Lucas heads back to the bench as if nothing ever happened.

* * *

Bill is sitting in a chair, doing nothing, saying nothing, just staring. Will approaches. "Hey, Dad? You, you should probably eat something. I'm gonna make some dinner, okay?" Bill says nothing and turns his head away.

Will goes into the sunlit kitchen and washes a fish at the sink. He does not turn the water off when he begins cutting up the soon to be meal. The water suddenly turns brown. Will notices and shuts off the water. Black water comes up through the drain and fills the sink. Will rolls up his sleeve to pull the plug out of the drain. He comes up with the plug, but the water doesn't drain. He sticks his arm back in the water, and something grabs it, pulling him into the sink. He pulls but the thing pulls harder. He drowns. The water drains. And Will Carlton is dead.

* * *

Dean is inside the motel room sitting on a bed while Buffy is asleep with her head on his lap. Sam opens the door with a creak and comes in. "So, I think it's safe to say we can rule out Nessie." Sam does a double take on their position. Sam gives Dean a weird look.

"She feel asleep after some more training. Do you want me to wake her up and have a pissed Slayer on our hands?" Sam suddenly looks sheepish and a little afraid of the possibilities of what the fierce girl might do if her rest is disturbed. Dean would never admit it to Sam, Buffy, or himself but a small part of himself enjoyed having the Slayer sleeping on his lap. "What do you mean?" Dean asks. Sam sits on the other side of Dean. Causing Buffy to stir.

"Help! I'm drowning in footwear." She mumbles. Suddenly her beautiful hazel eyes open and she sits upright, bewildered. "What's going on?" She asks rubbing her eyes and ignoring their amused looks.

"I just drove past the Carlton house. There was an ambulance there. Will Carlton is dead." Sam says to both Buffy and Dean.

"He drowned?" She asks, voice groggily from sleep but senses alert.

"Yep. In the sink."

"What the hell? So you're right, this isn't a creature. We're dealing with something else." Dean says, fully confused on how someone could drown on that small amount of water.

"Yeah, but what?"

"I don't know. Water wraith, maybe? Some kind of demon? I mean, something that controls water...water that comes from the same source."

"The lake. I mean if I was a water wraith that lake looks kinda homey. You know some kelp here, seaweed there, call it home." Buffy says running her finger through her hair.

"Yeah." Dean said understanding her thought process. Well most of it anyway.

"Which would explain why it's upping the body count. The lake is draining. It'll be dry in a few months. Whatever this thing is, whatever it wants, it's running out of time." Sam says.

"And if it can get through the pipes, it can get to anyone, almost anywhere."

Dean says while standing up. "This is gonna happen again soon." Dean sits down on a chair.

"And we do know one other thing for sure. We know this has got something to do with Bill Carlton." Buffy could try and talk but the boys were on a role. So she was content in letting the boys piece it together.

"Yeah, it took both his kids."

"And I've been asking around. Lucas's dad, Chris—Bill Carlton's godson."

"Let's go pay Mr. Carlton a visit."

* * *

Bill Carlton is sitting on the bench on the dock. He is looking at the calm water, the nightmare that took two of his children.

"Mr. Carlton?" Buffy questions. Bill looks up. Sam, Buffy, and Dean approach.

"We'd like to ask you a few questions, if you don't mind." She says. As the girl, the boys outspokenly agreed that Buffy should handle the emotional people. After so many things that had happened in her life, she was so wise but yet so young.

"We're from the, the Department—" Dean says trying to help.

"I don't care who you're with. I've answered enough questions today." After receiving a death glare from Buffy scary enough to have demons run back to their mommies Sam adds, "Your son said he saw something in that lake. What about you? You ever see anything out there? Mr. Carlton, Sophie's drowning and Will's death—we think there might be a connection to you or your family."

"My children are gone. It's...it's worse than dying. Go away. Please." Buffy, Sam, and Dean head back to the car.

"What do you think?" Sam asks once they walk to the Impala.

" I think the poor guy's been through hell, having been there albeit a day but... I also think he's not telling us something." Buffy says while she and Sam lean on the car. "So now what?" Dean goes still.

"What is it?" Sam asks while Buffy lifts a brow.

"Huh." Dean says looking at the Carlton house. "Maybe Bill's not the only one who knows something." Dean pulls out the picture Lucas brought him, which is of the Carlton house. Dean looks at the others.

* * *

"I'm sorry, but I don't think it's a good idea." Andrea says trying to understand why they would want to do this.

"I just need to talk to him." Dean says.

The threesome are inside Andrea's house, talking to her. Her home reminds Buffy of the life she used to want with a fiery passion. Back in high school when she was still somewhat innocent in believing she could ever have a normal life. Back when she was naive and in love.

"Just for a few minutes."

"He won't say anything. What good's it gonna do?" She asks.

"Andrea, we think more people might get hurt. We think something's happening out there." Sam adds trying to reason with her.

"My husband, the others, they just drowned. That's all." She explained even though to her it seemed like a pathetic excuse. Denial Land population Miss Andrea Barr.

"If that's what you really believe, then we'll go. But if you think there's even a possibility that something else could be going on here, please let me talk to your son."

* * *

In Lucas' bedroom the boy in question is coloring, toy soldiers standing around him. Dean, Andrea, Buffy and Sam approach the doorway. Dean enters and crouches down by Lucas. "Hey, Lucas. You remember me?" Lucas has drawn two more pictures of the same red bicycle.

"You know, I, uh, I wanted to thank you for that last drawing. But the thing is, I need your help again." Lucas is drawing a person in water. Dean opens the house picture and puts it down in front of Lucas. "How did you know to draw this? Did you know something bad was gonna happen? Maybe you could nod yes or no for me." Lucas keeps coloring, in his own little world "You're scared. It's okay. I understand. See, when I was your age, I saw something real bad happen to my mom, and I was scared, too. I didn't feel like talking, just like you. But see, my mom—I know she wanted me to be brave. I think about that every day. And I do my best to be brave. And maybe, your dad wants you to be brave too."

Lucas drops his crayon and looks up at Dean. He hands Dean a picture of a white church, a yellow house, and a boy with a blue baseball cap and red bicycle in front of a wooden fence. "Thanks, Lucas." Buffy can't seem to remove the smile on her face as they leave the house. For someone who doesn't like kids, Dean seem pretty good with them.

* * *

The three are in the Impala, Sam is holding the church picture while Buff stares out the window looking for said church.

"Andrea said the kid never drew like that till his dad died." Dean says, eyes on the road. He would not damage his baby.

"There are cases—going through a traumatic experience could make people more sensitive to premonitions, psychic tendencies." Sam adds.

"Whatever's out there, what if Lucas is tapping into it somehow? I mean, it's only a matter of time before somebody else drowns, so if you got a better lead, please."

"All right, we got another house to find."

"The only problem is there's about a thousand yellow two-stories in this county alone." Buffy looks at the picture over Sam's shoulder.

"See this church? I bet there's less than a thousand of those. I mean Sunnydale had about 43, I burnt one down but this town has gotta have way less."

"Oh, college girl thinks she's so smart." Dean jokes.

"Oh drop-out college girl is." She retorts.

"You know, um..." Sam starts, unsure of how to proceed. "What you said about Mom... You never told me that before."

"It's no big deal." Dean brushes it off. The next line of the song makes Dean feel even more awkward. "Oh God, we're not gonna have to hug or anything, are we?

* * *

Together they approach a white church shaped like the one in Lucas's picture. Dean holds up the picture and looks at it, comparing it to the scene in front of him; there's a yellow house next to the church and a wooden fence near the house. Sam looks at Dean and at Buffy. They all look up at the church and cross the street to the house.

"We're sorry to bother you, ma'am—" The three are inside the house, speaking to an old woman, Mrs. Sweeney,"—but does a little boy live here, by chance? He might wear a blue ball cap, has a red bicycle." Buffy asks kindly.

"No miss. Not for a very long time. Peter's been gone for thirty-five years now." The old woman says, pausing for a minute to remember the exact amount of time. There's a picture of Peter on the side table. Mrs. Sweeney sighs. "The police never—I never had any idea what happened. He just disappeared." Sam points out to Dean a number of toy soldiers on a table. "Losing him—you know, it's...it's worse than dying." Buffy glances at the others, wondering if they heard what she did.

"Did he disappear from here? I mean, from this house?" Dean asked.

"He was supposed to ride his bike straight home after school, and he never showed up." Peter's mother says. Dean picks a picture off the mirror. There are two boys in the picture, one of them is Peter with a bicycle. Dean reads from the back of the photograph.

"Peter Sweeney and Billy Carlton, nineteen seventy." He reads under his breath.

* * *

Bill is sitting on the bench on the dock, talking to himself, or is it to the lake?

"You've taken everything, everyone. I've got nothing left. I didn't understand. I didn't believe. Now I think I do. I think I finally know what you want."

* * *

Dean and Sam are driving while Buffy is leaning forward. The group is in mid-discussion.

"Okay, this little boy Peter Sweeney vanishes, and this is all connected to Bill Carlton somehow." Sam summarizes.

"Yeah, Bill sure as hell seems to be hiding something, huh?" Dean says remembering the discussion they had earlier.

"And Bill, the people he loves, they're all getting punished. If that doesn't put you on the train to Guiltapalooza then what will?" Buffy inquires.

" What is Guiltapal- you no what I don't want to know." The Winchesters have gotten used to Buffy's ( as Wesley would put it) butchering of the English language. "So what if Bill did something to Peter?"

"What if Bill killed him?" Sam adds another question to the pile.

"Peter's spirit would be furious. It'd want revenge. It's possible."

* * *

The Impala pulls up in front of the Carlton house. The trio approach the house. "Mr. Carlton?" They call. An engine roars in the distance. They all go around the house to see Bill going out on the lake in his boat. The Slayer turned hunter runs to the end of the dock in front of Dean and Sam, yelling. "Mr. Carlton! You need to come back! Come out of the water! Turn the boat around!" The boys ketch up.

"Mr. Carlton!" Sam yells. Bill ignores them and keeps going. The water rises up and flips Bill's boat over. It and he vanish.

* * *

Lucas is sitting in a chair, rocking back and forth in the police station. Andrea is sitting next to him, holding a paper bag and a plastic container. "Baby, what's wrong?" She questions but as always gets no response. Sam, Dean, Buffy and Jake Devins walk in the door. Andrea looks over. "Sam, Dean, Buffy." Andrea stands up, putting the bag and container on her chair. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"So now you're on a first-name basis. What are you doing here?" Jake says, obviously upset.

"I brought you dinner."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, I don't really have the time."

"I heard about Bill Carlton. Is it true? Is something going on with the lake?"

"Right now we don't know what the truth is. But I think it might be better if you and Lucas went on home." Lucas looks up and whines, looking stricken; he jumps up and grabs Dean's arm.

"Lucas, hey, what is it?" The oldest Winchester questions, concerned. "Lucas."

"Lucas." Lucas's mother says.

"Lucas, it's okay. It's okay. Hey, Lucas, it's okay. It's okay." Dean says trying to calm him down. Andrea finally pries Lucas away from Dean and leads him outside. Lucas doesn't look away from Dean the entire trip. Jake throws down his jacket and goes into his office. The three follow.

"Okay, just so I'm clear, you see...something attack Bill's boat, sending Bill—who is a very good swimmer, by the way—into the drink, and you never see him again?"

Dean glances at the other spectators that saw Bill's watery death. "Yeah, that about sums it up."

"And I'm supposed to believe this, even though I've already sonar-swept that entire lake? And what you're describing is impossible? And you two are not really Wildlife Service?" Dean looks surprised. "That's right, I checked. Department's never heard of you two."

"See, now, we can explain that."

"Enough. Please. Miss. Summers, I don't know of you were involved or not but the only reason any of you are breathing free air is one of Bill's neighbors saw him steering out that boat just before you did. So, we have a couple of options here. I can arrest you for impersonating government officials and hold you as material witnesses to Bill Carlton's disappearance. Or, we can chalk this all up to a bad day, you get into your car, you put this town in your rearview mirror, and you don't ever darken my doorstep again."

"Door number two sounds good." Sam says.

"That's the one I'd pick." Jake says and with that the trio is gone.

* * *

Lucas is in his room with the toy soldiers, drawing another black spiral. The curtain is open, showing the silver moon. Andrea walks by his door in a robe. "Baby, what are you doing up? Come on. Let's go to bed."

* * *

The Impala is waiting at a traffic light. A sign says I-43 North to Milwaukee is to the left. The light turns green but the car doesn't move.

"Green." Sam states.

"What?" Dean asks, his own little world shattered.

"Light's green." Dean turns right. "Uh, the interstate's the other way."

"I know." He replies in his gruff voice.

* * *

Andrea is in the bathroom. She plugs the drain of her tub and turns the water on.

Back in the car Sam says, "But Dean, this job, I think it's over."

"I'm not so sure." Buffy says from the back seat. Sam turns around to face her," Oh not you too. Guys look if Bill murdered Peter Sweeney and Peter's spirit got its revenge, case closed. The spirit should be at rest."

"All right, so what if we take off and this thing isn't done? You know, what if we've missed something? What if more people get hurt?" Dean asks gunning the engine.

"But why would you think that?" Sam asks used to the speed of the vehicle.

"Because Lucas was really scared." Dean replies. Buffy's reason was the same as well except that she had her 'spidey sense' telling her as well.

"That's what this is about?"

"I just don't want to leave this town until I know the kid's okay."

"Who are you? And what have you done with my brother?" Dean glances at Sam.

"Shut up."

* * *

The bathtub is mostly full and Andrea tests the water with one hand. Feeling that it is at her desired temperature she takes off her robe and gets in. She leans back, grabs a washcloth, and closes her eyes. The water coming out of the faucet turns a brown. Andrea starts washing herself with the cloth, then opens her eyes. The water is entirely brown now. She screams and tries to get out of the tub, but something drags her down. Meanwhile Lucas is pounding on the bathroom door. Andrea's head is pulled under the water. She pulls it out. She is pulled under again; lather, rinse, repeat. Lucas keeps pounding. Andrea is almost invisible under the murky water.

* * *

The small party has finally arrived at the Barr home. "Are you sure about this? It's pretty late." Sam asks, always being the nice person he is. He would have hated to wake Andrea or Lucas. Dean rings the doorbell. At that moment, Lucas opens the door, desperately afraid.

"Lucas? Lucas!" Lucas takes off. Dean, Buffy, and Sam follow him into the hallway. Water is pouring out from under the bathroom door and down the stairs. Lucas starts pounding on the bathroom door again. Dean pushes him over to Sam and kicks in the door. Lucas grabs Dean, so Sam runs into the bathroom and sticks his arms in the tub, trying to pull Andrea out. She is pulled back under.

"Buffy! Help you're stronger!" Sam says. Together the hunter and the Slayer work to pull Andrea all the way out of the tub. Laying on the floor she starts coughing up water.

* * *

Dawn is breaking over the horizon. Sam, Buffy, and Andrea sit in the living room. Andrea is dry and wearing sweats and a comfortable shirt.

"Can you tell us?" Buffy asks quietly.

"No." The other woman responds. If she didn't say it out loud it wasn't real. Dean is looking through notebooks on bookshelves hearing snippets of the conversation. "It doesn't make any sense." The mother started to cry. "I'm going crazy." She puts her face in her hands. Buffy rests one of her hands on Andrea's back to try and calm her.

"No, you're not. Tell us what happened. Everything." Sam said with his puppy dog eyes that almost no one could say no to.

"I heard...I thought I heard...there was this voice."

"What did it say?"

"It said...it said 'come play with me'." Andrea sobs and lifts her head from here hands. "What's happening?" Dean pulls out a scrapbook that says 'Jake – 12 years old' and opens it, flipping pages. He closes it again and goes to the crying woman. He puts the book down in front of Andrea, and opens to a picture of Explorer Troop 37.

"Do you recognize the kids in these pictures?" Dean asks, an idea forming in his mind.

"What? Um, um, no. I mean, except that's my dad right there. He must have been about twelve in these pictures." She moves her finger over to another picture of Jake as a child; he is standing next to Peter. The three share a look.

"Chris Barr's drowning. The connection wasn't to Bill Carlton. It must have been to the sheriff."

"Bill and the sheriff—they were both involved with Peter." Sam provides, filling in the blanks.

"What about Chris? My dad—what are you talking about?" Andrea's questions roll off her tongue. One question after another. Dean looks sideways.

"Lucas?" He calls once he notices Lucas staring out the window. "Lucas, what is it?" Lucas opens the door and walks outside. Everyone follows the scared, confused child.

"Lucas, honey?" His mother calls, her voice holding in so many emotions. Lucas stops and looks at the green ground, then at Dean.

"You and Lucas get back to the house and stay there, okay?" Buffy commands. For all she knows they could dig up something life scarring and the small family had already been through enough. Andrea pulls Lucas back to the house. Dean and Sam fetch shovels from the Impala, before they all start digging. After many minutes of their hard labor Buffy's shovel clanks against something. They dig with their hands and pull out a red bicycle. The bike is dirty, rusty, and old but is most definitely-

"Peter's bike." Buffy states.

"Who are you?" Jake says from behind. The three turn around all very surprised. Buffy the most because she couldn't hear him. They pivot to see Jake pointing a gun at them.

"Put the gun down, Jake." Sam says. All three of the drop their shovels.

"How did you know that was there?" Jake says, scared out of his wits. If they knew what happened to Peter then his whole career would be over.

"What happened? You and Bill killed Peter, drowned him in the lake and then buried the bike? You can't bury the truth, Jake. Nothing stays buried." Dean says to edge the older man on. Andrea sees Jake with the gun aimed at her saviors. She talks to Lucas.

"Go to your room, sweetie. Now. Lock the door and wait for me. Don't come out." Lucas runs off while Andrea goes outside.

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about." Jake says. He wouldn't admit it, he couldn't.

"You and Bill killed Peter Sweeney thirty-five years ago. That's what the hell I'm talking about." Dean says when suddenly Andrea runs up.

"Dad!" She calls.

"And now you got one seriously pissed-off spirit."

"It's gonna take Andrea, Lucas, everyone you love." Buffy says. Sam then adds," It's gonna drown them. And it's gonna drag their bodies God knows where, so you can feel the same pain Peter's mom felt. And then, after that, it's gonna take you, and it's not gonna stop until it does."

Disbelief coursing through Jake as he says, "Yeah, and how do you know that?"

"Because that's exactly what it did to Bill Carlton." Is Sam's quick response.

"Listen to yourselves, the three of you. You're insane."

" Well your not exactly gracing the cover of sanity fair." Was Buffy's comeback, she always had to have one.

"I don't really give a rat's ass what you think of us. But if we're gonna bring down this spirit, we need to find the remains, salt them, and burn them into dust. Now tell me you buried Peter somewhere. Tell me you didn't just let him go in the lake." Dean said pissed at how long this has taken. Lucas hears Dean because he didn't go to his room; he's outside watching.

"Come play with me." Peter's voice fills Lucas' head as he follows the sound, which goes unnoticed by the others.

"Dad, is any of this true?" Andrea's heart was breaking. Chris, how Lucas was acting, and now her father.

"No. Don't listen to them. They're liars and they're dangerous."

"Something tried to drown me. Chris died on that lake. Dad, look at me." Jake does as she asks. "Tell me you—you didn't kill anyone." She says her strength rises but then fell once Jake looks away. "Oh my God." The betrayal was evident in her voice as she chokes back her tears.

"Billy and I were at the lake. Peter was the smallest one. We always bullied him, but this time, it got rough. We were holding his head under the water. We didn't mean to. But we held him under too long and he drowned. We let the body go, and it sank." Jake tried to explain. Dean glances at his comrades. "Oh, Andrea, we were kids. We were so scared. It was a mistake. But, Andrea, to say that I have anything to do with these drowning, with Chris, because of some ghost? It's not rational."

"All right, listen to me, all of you. We need to get you away from this lake, as far as we can, right now." Dean told them but the plan was squashed once Andrea spotted Lucas going down to the lake. She gasps.

"Lucas!" Jake bellows. They all run up to the dock. Buffy is far ahead due to her Slayer speed. Lucas is leaning over the side, reaching for a toy soldier in the water. His hair now falls around his face as he reached for his beloved toy just barley out of reach.

"Come play with me." Peter says but only Lucas hears its ghostly whispers.

"Lucas!" Dean calls while still in hot pursuit.

"Lucas! Baby, stay where you are!" Andrea pleads. Buffy makes it to the dock before anyone else and grabs the boy's ankle. A hand suddenly comes up and pulls Lucas into the water and Buffy with it. The adults have reached the edge of the lake. Jake stops. Peter's head is visible; Jake recognizes him. The boy he once knew now looks strangely pale from years under the blue underworld. Dean and Sam keep running to the end of the dock and dive in after their friend and the boy.

"Oh my God!" Andrea says while taking off her jacket to jump in.

"Andrea, stay there!" Sam commands knowing the spirit will take her as well.

"No! Lucas!" She pleads. She failed him. It was a mother's job to protect her children and she failed.

"We'll get him! Just stay on the dock!" Sam dives under again. Dean comes up. A minute later, so does Sam.

"Sam?" Dean asking fearing a no which is the exact answer he gets with the shake of a head.

Jake takes off his jacket as Sam and Dean dive back down. Jake wades in. Andrea looks over at him through her tears. Jake begs to Peter, "Peter, if you can hear me...please, Peter, I'm sorry. I'm so—I'm so sorry."

"Daddy, no!" Andrea said. She couldn't lose another person too. Chris was gone, Lucas she may never see again, she couldn't deal.

"Peter. Lucas—he's, he's just a little boy. Please, it's not his fault, it's mine. Please take me." Dean and Sam come up for air.

"Jake, no!" They call together. Peter surfaces.

"Just let it be over!" Jake is dragged down.

"Daddy! Daddy! No!" She yells through her tears. Dean and Sam dive down again. Sam comes up, shaking his head. Andrea mouths 'no!' Dean comes up, holding Lucas, who isn't moving. The brothers quickly get up onto the dock when Lucas suddenly lets out a gasp. Andrea smiles through her tears as her son is alive and breathing. Lucas suddenly tries to talk but it only comes out in short gasps.

"Bu... B.." He struggles to say the name he has recently learned.

"What's Bu?" Sam asks thoroughly confused but Dean understands.

"Buffy!" Dean says and then jump into the water once again. He quickly finds the small blonde and brings her to the floor. Dean looked at Sam worried, beyond worried in fact. Suddenly a round of loud coughing starts behind him and he turns to face the struggling blonde. He pats her back as the others watch each one having a smile on their face. Andrea's son was okay and along with the amazing girl they meet just weeks ago. Once Buffy composes herself she says, "I really hate it when they drown me."

* * *

Dean and Sam walk out of the motel one day later. They come up to the car where Buffy is sitting the hood. Dean opens the car door and Sam tosses a duffel in.

"Look, we're not gonna save everybody." Sam says seeing the look on Dean's face.

"I know."

"Sam, Dean, Buffy." Andrea walks up with Lucas.

"Hey." Buffy says, a smile on her face.

"We're glad we caught you. We just, um, we made you lunch for the road." Lucas shows them the tray of sandwiches. "Lucas insisted on making the sandwiches himself."

"Can I give it to them now?" Lucas asks wile looking up at his mother.

"Of course." Andrea smiles and kisses Lucas's head.

"Come on, Lucas, let's load this into the car." Buffy says while sliding off the hood.

"How you holding up?" Dean asks.

"It's just gonna take a long time to sort through everything, you know?" She answers truthfully. Sam sighs. "Andrea, I'm sorry." Andrea shakes her head.

"You guys saved my son. I can't ask for more than that. Dad loved me. He loved Lucas. No matter what he did, I just have to hold on to that." Buffy puts the sandwiches in the car.

"All right, if you're gonna be talking now, this is a very important phrase, so I want you to repeat it one more time. John Tesh is..."

"The devil!" (A/N nothing against John Tesh just got this idea from BTVS)

"That's right. Up high." Buffy holds her hand up for a high-five. Lucas obliges, grinning. "You take care of your mom, okay?"

"All right."

Andrea comes up and hugs Buffy. "Thank you." She whispers.

Buffy gives her a small smile, goes around the car, and sits in her seat.

Dean already near the door says, "Sam, move your ass. We're gonna run out of daylight before we hit the road." Dean gets in the car, then Sam. Bad Company's "Movin' On" starts to play when Dean starts the engine. The three smile at Andrea and Lucas waving goodbye. Together they drive away to a new destination. Who knows where this one would be. The Impala drives on.

**To Be Continued**

**Keep on reading and I'll keep on writing :D New chapter every Wednesday.**


	4. Chapter 4: Bloody Mary

**The End or the Beginning?**

**Chapter 4: Bloody Mary**

**I saw a few stories resembling this and wanted to take a stab at it. I heard it was originally a challenge but I'm not sure so…. Any way….. Also in my story Buffy died in 2004/2005 so it's the start of Supernatural's season 1.**

**Sam and Dean find Buffy after she rises from her grave and things take off from there. A strong Buffy and Sam friendship and eventually Buffy/Dean **

**Sorry! I was going to do phantom traveler! I had the entire thing typed but I didn't like it very much so instead I gave a little snippet of what happened there and have done Bloody Mary instead. Hope you like. I really was excited to write this chapter.**

"_But, you're a Slayer." - Wesley Wyndam-Pryce_

"_Yeah, I'm also a person. You can't just define me by my Slayer-ness. That's ... something-ism." - Buffy Summers (Choices Season 3) _

* * *

**Toledo, Ohio**

Three girls are laughing, gathered around a table with candles in the living room at the Shoemaker's house. The candlelight is the only light in the otherwise dark room. As they sit together they play the classic sleepover game, "Okay, your turn, truth or dare?" says one of the three girls. The questioned girl, Lily contemplates her answer. The choice is very difficult, with one word she could seal her fate in the embarrassment hall of fame for life. Deciding to take a leap of faith she answers, "Truth."

"Do you want to make out with Benji Swartz?" The other girl at the table laughs. Feeling that this conversation had reached into uncomfortable territory Lily quickly changed her answer to dare. "Okay, lame. You have to...say 'Bloody Mary' in the bathroom."

"Is that the best you can come up with?" Lily questions. Bloody Mary was anything but scary in the young girl's mind, just a game.

"Who's Bloody Mary?" The third girl says. How a child hasn't heard of Bloody Mary is beyond me.

"She's this witch." The darer states.

"I heard she was a lady killed in a car crash." Lily says interrupting her friend.

"It doesn't matter who she is. Point is, if you say her name three times in the bathroom mirror she appears...and scratches your eyes out!" She ends her sentence with a scary emphasis in hopes to scare the other girls which works when they both jump.

"So why would anyone say it?" The other girl asks. Who would want to die such a horrible death was something the young girl couldn't contemplate.

"Because it isn't real." Lily answers shortly. Lily gets down to business. She gets up and grabs a lit candle from the table.

'No turning on the lights, and remember...three times." Says one of her friends, making sure she clearly understood the rules.

Lily opens the bathroom door. She looks at the shadows on the wall, then closes the door and puts the candle down in front of the mirror. "Bloody Mary. This is so stupid." she says to herself but continues. "Bloody Mary." The candle flickers. Lily looks at it. Was this a sign? Should she stop while she still could? A long pause until finally, "Bloody Mary." She waits and sees nothing has happened until she hears a loud noise. Lily shrieks. The noise, she soon recognizes as pounding on the door stops. Lily opens the door to find her friends laughing.

"Scared ya." One of her friends announces.

"You guys are jerks." Lily retorts like any friend would who was upset at her companions' actions.

"Lily." A male voice calls. Lily looks up to the top of the stairs, where she sees her father, Steven Shoemaker. "Do you mind keeping it down?"

"Sorry, Daddy." Lily says while her friends respond with a dutiful, "Sorry, Mr. Shoemaker." Steven heads upstairs. He passes several mirrors; each has containing the image of Bloody Mary. Steven takes some pills out of the bathroom medicine cabinet and closes the cabinet, revealing another mirror. He pops the pills in his mouth, then looks closer at the mirror, noticing some scratches under his eye. Confused he examines it further.

Back in the living room Lily and both girls are giggling together. "You so like him!" One girl says in between fits of laughter. Donna, Lily's older sister, comes in the front door and announces her presence by saying, "Hey, geek. You guys having fun?"

"You're out past curfew." Lily responds, ignoring her sister's question.

"Thanks, Dad." She says in a mock fashion and goes up the stairs.

In the hallway a pool of blood comes out from under the bathroom door. Donna rounds the corner and sees it, stops, then starts forward more slowly. Looking like a frightened animal she hesitantly pushes open the bathroom door, revealing a great deal more blood. Donna screams.

* * *

The entire scene is tinted blue as Sam lies on a bed, eyes closed. Jess is on the ceiling. Blood drips on Sam's forehead. He opens his eyes and sees her. "Why, Sam? Why, Sam?" Jess asks softly.

"No!" Sam calls out to her but it's too late. She has burst into flames.

"Why, Sam? Why, Sam?" She calls again.

"Sam, wake up." Dean calls. Sam jerks awake, confused. He sits up and looks around. He's sitting shotgun in the Impala, which is parked in front of a large building.

"I take it I was having a nightmare." Sam deadpans.

"Yeah, another one."

"Hey, at least I got some sleep." Sam says with mock humor.

"You know, sooner or later we're gonna have to talk about this." Dean says.

"Yeah. I mean the tragedy mask doesn't suit you." Buffy calls from the back seat.

"Are we here?" Sam calls trying to change the subject.

"Yup. Welcome to Toledo, Ohio." Dean announces. Sam picks up a newspaper with Steven Shoemaker's obituary circled. It reads: **Shoemaker, Steven**

**The Shoemaker family is sad to announce the sudden death of their beloved husband and father Steven Shoemaker. Steven was 46. A short service will be held on Wednesday, [...] 31 at 2:00 p.m. at the Toledo [...] and cherish you [...] Your [...]**

"So what do you think really happened to this guy?"

"That's what we're gonna find out. Let's go." The three get out of the car and head up to the building. They head into room 144, marked Morgue. There's two desks. The empty one has a nameplate that says Dr. D. Feiklowicz. The other one has the morgue technician. "Hey." he calls.

"Hey." Dean calls back.

"Can I help you?" The morgue tech asks.

"Yeah. We're the, uh...med students." Dean says while Buffy tries her best not to smile at his lame excuse.

"Sorry?" He questions, confusion lacing his voice.

"Oh, Doctor-" Dean stumbles over the name. "—Figlavitch didn't tell you? We talked to him on the phone. He, uh, we're from Ohio State. He's supposed to show us the Shoemaker corpse. It's for our paper."

"Well, I'm sorry, he's at lunch."

"Oh well he said, uh—oh, well, you know, it doesn't matter. You don't mind just showing us the body, do you?" Dean says trying to be suave but failing.

"Sorry, I can't. Doc will be back in an hour. You can wait for him if you want."

"An hour? Ooh. We gotta be heading back to Columbus by then." Dean turns to the other who nod unconvincingly. "Uh, look, man, this paper's like half our grade, so if you don't mind helping us out—"

"Uh, look, man...no." Dean laughs a little, turns around, and mumbles, "I'm gonna hit him in his face I swear." Buffy grabs his shirt and says in a hushed tone, " I got this bud. Enjoy the show." Buffy then give him a wink and goes over to the male tech. Buffy bends over his desk a little, pushinh her chest out, and puts on a charming smile, "Please I mean you would be really helping us out." She gives him a dazzling smile that makes the man feel like he's drowning and he nods slowly. "Follow me." He says more to Buffy than the other two. The morgue technician gets up and leaves with Buffy, who looks over her shoulder and winks. The boys gawk at the Slayer who was able to turn the man into a pile of mush in a matter of seconds. Soon they come to their senses and follow the morgue technician.

* * *

"Now the newspaper said his daughter found him. She said his eyes were bleeding." Sam questions once they are inside the morgue. The morgue technician pulls back the sheet over Steven's face.

"More than that. They practically liquefied." The 'specialist' says.

"Any sign of a struggle? Maybe somebody did it to him?"

"Nope. Besides the daughter, he was all alone."

"What's the official cause of death." Buffy asks sweetly as if talking about anything besides a gruesome death. The male smiled at her suggestively and said, "Ah, Doc's not sure. He's thinking massive stroke, maybe an aneurysm? Something burst up in there, that's for sure."

"What do you mean?" The boys, seeing that the Slayer can handle this look at the body closely.

"Intense cerebral bleeding. This guy had more blood in his skull than anyone I've ever seen.'

"The eyes what would cause something like that?"

"Capillaries can burst. See a lot of bloodshot eyes with stroke victims."

"Yeah? You ever see exploding eyeballs?" Dean calls, summoning the worker to look at him.

"That's a first for me, but hey, I'm not the doctor."

"Hey, think we could take a look at that police report?" Buffy says sweetly. "You know for, uh...our paper."

"I'm not really supposed to show you that." He says regretfully. Buffy pouts instantly making him change his mind.

* * *

The three are walking down the stairs. Buffy, unlike the others with a hop in her steeps, proud of herself for her persuasion towards the man. Even after being a corpse she still had it. Even though she was happy she was hoping that Dean would be a tiny bit jealous. After all he did hold her hand like it was a life line on the plane. Maybe she should talk to him about it? No, Maybe, Yes, she didn't know. He said he was terrified of planes, yeah that was it. Why would he be interested in her anyway? The cheeriness died out of her steep as she thought this over. Why should she care if he liked her? Its not like she liked him or his eyes or his beautiful smile or his- oh God. She Buffy Anne Summers, had a crush on Dean Winchester. She was so lost in her own thought she didn't even hear the brothers conversation about going to the Shoemaker's house. "You okay, Buff?" Dean asked noticing how the girl's face had became pale.

"Yeah." She gave him a forced smile and fake laugh. "Just fine."

* * *

The three walk into the funeral. There is a picture of Steven Shoemaker on the desk. The attendees are all men in black suits and women in black dresses, except Dean, Sam, and Buffy. "Feel like we're underdressed?" Dean phrases ignoring the look on Sam's face and feeling drawn to Buffy's small smile. They keep walking through the house towards the backyard. The backyard is cluttered with people, one in particular points the fighters towards Donna and Lily Shoemaker, who are with their friends Jill and Charlie.

"You must be Donna, right?" Buffy says coming up towards the oldest Shoemaker sibling.

"Yeah." Donna replies, eyes puffy from crying.

"Hi, uh—we're really sorry." Sam says showing real concern.

"Thank you."

"I'm Sam, this is Dean and Buffy. We worked with your dad." Donna looks at Charlie, then back at the small group.

"You did?" Donna says with a hint of disbelief in her voice.

"Yeah. This whole thing. I mean, a stroke."

"I don't think she really wants to talk about this right now." Charlie says coming to her friends aid.

"It's okay. I'm okay." Donna says in regards to her close friend.

"Were there any symptoms? Dizziness? Migraines?" Dean asks trying to further understand what happened to Mr. Shoemaker moments before his death.

"No." Lily turns around to face Dean and says, "That's because it wasn't a stroke."

"Lily, don't say that." Her sister chastises.

"What?" Buffy questioned, interest peaked.

"I'm sorry, she's just upset."

"No, it happened because of me." Lily says desperately trying to make her sister understand.

"Sweetie, it didn't."

"Lily." Buffy calls softly and gets down on eye level with Lily. With an audience of the entire grieving group and Winchesters she asks, "Why would you say something like that?"

"Right before he died, I said it."

"You said what?" Buffy inquires.

"Bloody Mary, three times in the bathroom mirror." Lily pauses, steadying her breath she adds in a whisper, "She took his eyes, that's what she does."

"That's not why Dad died. This isn't your fault." Lily's sister cuts in.

"I think your sister's right, Lily. There's no way it could have been Bloody Mary. Your dad didn't say it, did he?" Sam says while Dean offers a sympathetic look.

"No, I don't think so."

* * *

In the Shoemaker's house Sam pushes the bathroom door open. There is still some dried blood on the floor. Besides that there are no other signs of the horrible death that will be forever within the minds of the younger Shoemaker's.

"The Bloody Mary legend...Dad ever find any evidence that it was a real thing?" Sam asks Dean. "Not that I know of." Dean and Buffy walk into the bathroom while Sam stoops to the floor and touches the dried blood.

"Guys all over the country, kids play Bloody Mary, I did and as far as I know, nobody dies from it. This is starting to make the kind of sense that's not." Buffy says after closing the door to make sure no one saw what they were doing. Keeping her place by the door to keep guard and listen for other people she heard Dean answer with, "Yeah, well, maybe everywhere it's just a story, but here it's actually happening."

"The place where the legend began?" Sam says getting up from his place on the floor. Dean shrugs and opens the medicine cabinet. "But according to the legend, the person who says B—" Sam looks at the medicine cabinet mirror, which now faces him, and closes it. "The person who says you know what gets it. But here—"

"Shoemaker gets it instead, yeah."

"Right."

"Never heard anything like that before. Still, the guy did die right in front of the mirror, and the daughter's right. The way the legend goes, you know who scratches your eyes out."

"It's worth checking in to."

"Guys." Buffy says urgently near her position by the door. "We got company." They all leave the bathroom to come face to face with Charlie, who asks, "What are you doing up here?"

"We—we, had to go to the bathroom." Buffy says mentally smacking herself for her idiotic excuse.

"Who are you?" Charlie says not believing the other blondes lie.

"Like we said downstairs, we worked with Donna's dad." Dean says trying to come to the Slayer's aid.

"He was a day trader or something. He worked by himself."

"No, I know, I meant—" But instead of coming to her aid he helped make thing worse.

"And all those weird questions downstairs, what was that? So you tell me what's going on, or I start screaming."

"All right, all right. We think something happened to Donna's dad." Sam says saving both of his friends from floundering.

"Yeah, a stroke."

"That's not a sign of a typical stroke. We think it might be something else."

"Like what?"

"Honestly? We don't know yet. But we don't want it to happen to anyone else. That's the truth."

"So, if you're gonna scream, go right ahead." Dean adds, his cool returned to him.

"Who are you, cops?" Sam looks over his shoulder at Dean and Buffy.

"Something like that." Buffy says cryptically with a small smirk. Sam reaches into his pocket, pulls out a paper and pen, and starts writing down his cell number. "I'll tell you what. Here. If you think of anything, you or your friends notice anything strange, out of the ordinary...just give us a call." Sam hands her the paper as he, Dean, and Buffy walk down the hallway.

* * *

The three walk towards a library, rather dark for the time of day. "All right, say Bloody Mary really is haunting this town. There's gonna be some sort of proof, like a local woman who died uber nasty." Buffy says as they come to the library doors.

"Yeah but a legend this widespread it's hard. I mean, there's like 50 versions of who she actually is. One story says she's a witch, another says she's a mutilated bride, there's a lot more." Sam respond as they walk towards the computer area.

"All right so what are we supposed to be looking for?" Dean asks confused.

"Every version's got a few things in common. It's always a woman named Mary, and she always dies right in front of a mirror. So we've gotta search local newspapers—public records as far back as they go. See if we can find a Mary who fits the bill."

"Well that sounds annoying."

"No it won't be so bad, as long as we…" Sam looks at the computers which all say "Out of Order" on them. He chuckles at Buffy's groan, knowing that she hated being in research mode. He turns to give her a sympathetic smile. "I take it back. This will be very annoying."

* * *

Somewhere else in town Donna's friend, Charlie is driving in a car talking on her cell phone. "I'm not sure. They were cops or detectives or something." The phone conversation is between Donna's friend and another girl who was at the funeral named Jill. Jill is in her room taking off her sweater when she responds to Charlie's words. "Whoever they were, those guys were cute."

"Jill" Charlie says, annoyed at her friend's quick change of topic.

"You didn't think so?" Charlie sighs, "Yeah okay they were cute. Still, do you think something happened to Donna's dad?"

"Maybe Lily was right. Maybe Bloody Mary got him."

"Ha ha, very funny." She says a little forced hoping that Jill wouldn't notice it.

"Wait, I'm sorry. Was that fear I hear in your voice?" But she did.

"No." She responds a little to fast.

"Charlie, I'm walking to the bathroom mirror right now." Jill says, enjoying to play on her friend's small fear.

"Jill, quit it." Jill reaches bathroom mirror. "Oh no, I can't help myself. I'm gonna say it. Bloody Mary. Bloody Mary. Bloody Mary." Dreadful silence fills the phone as Charlie's fear increases. Finally she can't take it any longer, "Jill?" Jill screams causing Charlie to echo her last word again, "Jill!?" But instead of a high pitched scream she receives a girly laugh. "You're such a freak, I'll call you tomorrow." They hang up the phone and Jill goes to her closet to finish getting changed. She opens the door, and on the inside there is a mirror, where Bloody Mary resides unknowingly to her. She closes the closet door and goes to sit down at her vanity, where of course there is another mirror. Bloody Mary takes her earrings out in synch within the disguise of Jill. Jill walks in front of her TV screen along with Bloody Mary. Jill goes back in the bathroom to wash her face, but as she bends down to wash, her reflection in the mirror stays standing. She looks up and sees her reflection looking at her as if it were another person. Jill starts panicking as the reflection in the mirror starts oozing blood out of its eyes. She reaches up and feels blood on her own face. "You did it. You killed that boy." He reflection calls to her with only accusation in its voice. Jill falls down after seemingly being strangled to death as her reflection in the mirror watches her.

* * *

The flames are sucked up into Jessica's body, "Why Sam?" With a jerk Sam wakes up from his nightmare that seems to be playing on repeat. He finds himself in the motel room. "Why'd you let me fall asleep?" He questions.

"Cause we're awesome people." Buffy responds from her seat on the floor next to Dean's bed. In a more serious tone she asks, "So what did you dream about?"

"Lollipops and candy canes."

"Yeah, sure and I'm going to marry Bob Dole and raise penguins in Guam." Buffy says with an eye roll. Ignoring her Sam asks, "Did you find anything?"

"Oh besides a whole new level of frustration?" Dean says sarcastically from the opposite bed. Sam sits up. "No. I've looked at everything. A few local women, a Laura and a Catherine committed suicide in front of a mirror, and a giant mirror fell on a guy named Dave, but uh, no Mary." Sam falls back on the bed. "Maybe we just haven't found it yet."

"I've also been searching for strange deaths in the area, you know...eyeball bleeding, that sort of thing. There's nothing. Whatever's happening here, maybe it just ain't Mary." Sam's cell phone rings, he answers it.

"Hello?" Sam says into the device. The others do not hear who is calling, but a look of concern comes across Sam's face.

* * *

Charlie is sitting on a park bench and Buffy is sitting next to her, while the other two are standing there. Charlie is crying while trying to tell the strangers the story. "And they found her on the bathroom floor. And her—her eyes. They were gone." She chokes out.

"I'm sorry." Buffy says quietly.

"And she said it." Buffy looks up at Sam and Dean, knowing exactly what 'it' was. "I heard her say it. But it couldn't be because of that. I'm insane, right?"

"No, you're not insane." Buffy soothes.

"Oh God, that makes me feel so much worse." Charlie says, now looking downward.

"Look. We think something's happening here. Something that can't be explained." Sam says.

"And we're gonna stop it but we could use your help." Dean cuts in.

* * *

In Jill's room, Charlie comes in and locks the door. She then goes over to the window and opens it, where Sam, Buffy, and Dean are waiting to enter. Buffy and Sam enter first, then Dean throws a duffel bag at Sam. Sam sets it on the bed and starts going through it.

"What did you tell Jill's mom?" Sam says still rummaging through the bag.

"Just that I needed some time alone with Jill's pictures and things." Charlie says looking around the room that once held so many good memories. Now it was nothing more than a horrid place she wished to never visit again. Buffy comes to stand next to her offering a small amount of comfort. Sam pulls something out of the bag and Dean shuts the curtains. " I hate lying to her."

"Trust us, this is for the greater good. Hit the lights." Buffy says. Charlie goes over to turn off the lights. "What are you guys looking for?" Charlie asks.

"We'll let you know as soon as we find it." Sam has a digital camera ready, and hands it to Dean. "Hey, night vision." Dean turns on the night vision for him. The digital camera is now aimed at Dean. "Do I look like Paris Hilton?" Sam walks away with the camera and a small smile on his face. He opens Jill's closet door and begins filming around the mirror. While Buffy goes into the bathroom.

"So I don't get it. I mean...the first victim didn't summon Mary, and the second victim did. How's she choosing them?" Sam asks.

"Beats me." Sam closes the closet door after Dean's words. "I want to know why Jill said it in the first place."

"It's just a joke." Charlie says. It was just a joke... Right?

"Yeah well somebody's gonna say it again, it's just a matter of time. Buff, you okay?"

"I think I found something." She calls from the bathroom. "Hey." Buffy says walking out of the restroom. Dean, Sam, and Charlie turn to look at her. "There's a black light in the trunk, right?"

A little while later Buffy has managed to carry the mirror out of the bathroom and on to Jill's bed. The mirror is upside down, ready to reveal its hidden secrets. Dean throws her a black light while Sam and Charlie watch in morbid curiosity. Buffy peels off the brown paper that is on the back of the mirror. She shines the black light over the back of the mirror and the group sees a bloody handprint, and the words "Gary Bryman."

"How the hell did you do that?" Dean asks, amazed by her findings.

"Spider sense." Off of Dean's confused look Buffy adds, "It's a Slayer thing to let me know when something's up in demonville. Anyway, Charlie do you know who Gary Bryman is?"

"No." Comes the confused, scared, and distraught girl's reply.

* * *

Many boring hours of research later, the four are again outside on a bench. Buffy and Charlie are sitting on it, while Sam and Dean come up behind them. "So, Gary Bryman was an 8-year-old boy. Two years ago he was killed in a hit and run. The car was described as a black Toyota Camry. But nobody got the plates or saw the driver." Sam informs.

"Oh my God." Charlie says, her voice quieter than normal.

"What?" Buffy asks, sensing the teen's distress.

"Jill drove that car."

"We need to get back to your friend Donna's house." Dean says, ready and willing to go back to the house where it all began.

* * *

In bathroom of Donna's house, the three demon fighters are hunched over the back of the mirror with a black light. There is a handprint on it, and the words 'Linda Shoemaker' written in blood. "Linda Shoemaker." Buffy says softly. She slowly looks up at the others, making eye contact with Sam, which was a difficult task due to height differences but in her eyes, a question shines.

* * *

Downstairs Donna has joined them and is in mid-discussion, "Why are you asking me this?"

"Look, we're sorry, but it's important." Sam says showing real remorse of having to bring up her mother after losing her father.

"Yeah. Linda's my mom okay? She overdosed on sleeping pills, it was an accident, and that's it. I think you should leave." Donna says, starting to feel uncomfortable at their questions.

"Now Donna, just listen." Buffy says using her sisterly voice that she had to use on Dawn far too many times. But Donna would have none of that. With a shout Donna says, "Get out of my house!" And then she runs upstairs. The thumping of her feet on the steeps are heard as she races up the stairs, followed by a loud bang.

"Oh my God. Do you really think her dad could've killed her mom?" Charlie says speaking up for the first time after being silent while the others investigated.

"Maybe." Dean says with a shrug. In his life time he has seen people kill for just about every reason known to man.

"I think I should stick around." Charlie says determined.

"All right. Whatever you do, don't—" Dean starts to warn but is immediately stopped by Charlie who answers, "Believe me, I won't say it." The look in her eyes, the resolve on her face let's them know she is telling the truth.

* * *

In the motel room, Dean is sitting on a chair at a computer and Sam is looking at some things posted on a bulletin board while Buffy is in the shower after a long training session. "Wait, wait, wait, you're doing a nationwide search?" Sam asks.

"Yep. The NCIC, the FBI databases at this point any Mary who died in front of a mirror is good enough for me." Dean answers truthfully, eyes still locked on the screen.

"But if she's haunting the town, she should have died in the town." Sam says trying to reason with his brother that this was just a big waste of time.

"I'm telling you there's nothing local, I've checked. So unless you got a better idea—" Dean says raising his eyes from the monitor.

"The way Mary's choosing her victims, it seems like there's a pattern."

"I know, I was thinking the Same thing."

"With mister Shoemaker and Jill's hit and run." Suddenly the bathroom door opens to reveal a clean, and unclothed Buffy. With a red towel wrapped around her body she walks to her bag while saying "Both had secrets where people died. Sorry Slayer hearing couldn't help it." She pulls out her clothes and walks back into the bathroom and shuts the door. "I'll be out in a minute."

"Right." Sam clears his throat awkwardly. "I mean there's a lot of folklore about mirrors-that they reveal all your lies, all your secrets, that they're a true reflection of your soul, which is why it's bad luck to break them."

"R-Right, right. So maybe if you've got a secret, I mean like a really nasty one where someone died, then Mary sees it, and punishes you for it." Dean says trying to banish the dirty thoughts of the Slayer in the other room out of his mind. Speaking or more of thinking the blonde enters the room once again fully clothed.

"Whether you're the one that summoned her or not." Buffy says sitting down on one of the motel beds next to Sam, who has also sat down recently.

"Take a look at this." Dean says. He picks up the picture he printed from the printer, carries it to the others, and shows them an image of a woman laying by a mirror in a puddle of blood. Dean prints out another photograph and hands it to them. The picture is of a gory handprint and the letters 'Tre' on a mirror.

"Looks like the same handprint." Sam says, looking over the pictures with a critical eye.

"Her name was Mary Worthington—an unsolved murder in Fort Wayne, Indiana." Dean informs the others.

"You guys go, I'll stay here and patrol." Buffy says walking towards the door. Picking up a stake she adds, "Call me if you find anything." And with that the Slayer is gone.

"I will never understand her." Sean says staring at the door Buffy just walked through.

* * *

After talking to the detective that handled the case in Fort Wayne, Indiana Sam and Dean are more knowledgeable about Mary Worthington. They knew that Mary was 19, lived by herself. They knew she won a few local beauty contests, dreamt of getting out of Indiana, being an actress. And they knew the night of March 29th someone broke into her apartment and murdered her. Cut out her eyes with a knife to be more specific. But what they didn't know was that Mary was supposedly trying to spell out the name of her killer.

Surgeon-Trevor Sampson was under a great suspicion because Mary wrote about a man she was seeing. She called him by his initial, "T". In her last entry, she was gonna tell "T"'s wife about their affair. And sadly enough she wasn't buried, she was cremated. And to make matters worse the mirror Mary was killed by was returned to Mary's family a long time ago. In the car, heading back to Ohio, Sam pulls open his phone to alert Buffy on their progress.

* * *

In Ohio's public school Donna and Charlie walk in to the girl's bathroom. They stop at the mirrors to refresh their makeup while Donna says, "I mean, you bring these strangers into my house and they ask me things like that?" Donna says obviously upset that her friend would have people questioning her at this difficult.

"They were only trying to help. Please, Donna, you have to believe me." Charlie says, her task at re-applying forgotten as well as Donna's. They turn to face each other.

"What? About Bloody Mary?"

"Please, I know it sounds crazy—"

"Crazy doesn't even begin to cover it. I mean it's one thing for my sister to believe this crap, she's 12. But you?" Donna lets the question hang.

"Think about the way your dad died, okay? And the way Jill died."

"Okay" Was her curt reply. Donna turns to face the mirror "Bloody Mary." "No!" Charlie interrupts, knowing what her friend was about to do which could endanger both of them. But it doesn't stop her words , "Bloody Mary. Bloody Mary." Donna turns back to face Charlie "See? Nothing happened."

"Why would you do that?"

"Oh my God. There really is something wrong with you."

Later in the school halls, Charlie is walking down past some windows into a classroom. Normal for any regular student, except for the fact that Bloody Mary is in one of the reflected panes of glass. Charlie enters her physics/science class where the teacher is in the middle of teaching his lesson and sits down in her seat. "Elements that loose electrons become positive ions, which are smaller than other atoms of the Same element." Charlie opens up her compact. "Therefore the ionic radius is smaller than the atomic radius." Charlie sees Bloody Mary in the corner and screams. The class freaks out as she starts running around the room. "Charlie!" She sees the reflection of Mary in the window of the door, picks up a stool, and throws it through the window. "Charlie!" The teacher catches Charlie by the arm. "Charlie stop it! What's wrong!? Just calm down." Charlie sees the pale figure of Mary in the reflection of the teacher's glasses.

"Aah! Let me go!" Charlie says, escaping his grasp.

"Charlie!" Her teacher calls again but it's to late, Charlie has run out of the room.

* * *

Back in the Impala Buffy is on speaker phone on Dean's cell while Sam talking on his to Mr. Worthington on his phone. "Oh really? Ah that's too bad Mr. Worthington." Sam says into the phone "I would have paid a lot for that mirror. Okay, well maybe next time. All right, thanks." Sam hangs up.

"So?" Buffy's voice comes through the phone on the dash.

"So that was Mary's brother. The mirror was in the family for years, until he sold it one week ago to a store called Estate Antiques. A store in Toledo."

"So wherever the mirror goes, that's where Mary goes?" Dean asks, wanting to understand the entire situation.

"Her spirit's definitely tied up with it somehow." Sam further explains.

"Isn't there an old superstition that mirrors can capture spirits?" Buffy says.

"Yeah there is. Yeah, when someone would die in a house people would cover up the mirrors so the ghost wouldn't get trapped."

"So Mary dies in front of a mirror, and it draws in her spirit." Dean states.

"Yeah but how could she move through like a hundred different mirrors?"

"I don't know, but if the mirror is the source, I say we find it and smash it."

"What if smashing its not enough?" Buffy asks clearly frustrated.

"Yeah, I don't know, maybe." Sam starts to say but his cell phone rings. "Hello." A look of concern comes across his face that worries Dean. "Charlie?"

* * *

At the motel Charlie is sitting on one of the beds with her head on her knees while Buffy is sitting next to her, doing the best she can to comfort her. Sam and Dean have all of the curtains drawn shut, and are throwing sheets over the mirrors, or facing them to the wall or floor. Sam sits next to Charlie while Dean remains standing. "Hey, hey it's ok. Hey, you can open up your eyes Charlie. It's okay, all right?" Charlie looks up slowly at Sam with a tear stained face. "Now listen. You're gonna stay right here on this bed, and you're not gonna look at glass, or anything else that has a reflection, okay? And as long as you do that, she cannot get you."

"But I can't keep that up forever. I'm gonna die, aren't I?" Charlie says, voice hoarse.

"No. No. Not anytime soon." Dean kneels next to bed and says, "All right Charlie. We need to know what happened."

"We were in the bathroom. Donna said it." Charlie says, not wanting to answer the real question.

"That's not what he's talking about. Something happened, didn't it? In your life...a secret...where someone got hurt. Can you tell us about it? It will be okay Charlie, I promise I won't let you get hurt." Buffy says softly, urging her to tell her story.

"I had this boyfriend. I loved him. But he kind of scared me too, you know? And one night, at his house, we got in this fight. Then I broke up with him, and he got upset, and he said he needed me and he loved me, and he said 'Charlie, if you walk out that door right now, I'm gonna kill myself.' And you know what I said? I said 'Go ahead.' And I left. How could I say that? How could I leave him like that? I just...I didn't believe him, you know? I should have." She puts her face back on her knees and starts crying again. Buffy could only sympathize with the poor girl. I loved him…. but he kind of scared me… Could Charlie have defined her relationship with Angel any better? She would always love him but she would always fear him a little as well because she knew what was under the one with the angelic face.

* * *

The three are in the Impala, it started raining so the pitter patter was the only sound heard until Buffy says, "You know her boyfriend killing himself, that's not really Charlie's fault." Knowing that Buffy was relating her story to herself after only knowing bits and pieces of the Angel situation Sam adds, "You know as well as I do spirits don't exactly see shades of gray, Buffy. It wasn't her fault but Charlie had a secret, someone died, that's good enough for Mary."

"I guess." Buffy grumbled, not at all liking this conversation.

"You know, I've been thinking about what you said early, Buffy. It might not be enough to just smash that mirror."

"Why, what do you mean?" Dean asks, it was simple math. Mary + Mirror = Smash.

"Well Mary's hard to pin down, right? I mean she moves around from mirror to mirror so who's to say that she's not just gonna keep hiding in them forever? So maybe we should try to pin her down, you know, summon her to her mirror and then smash it." Sam explains.

"Well how do you know that's going to work?"

"I don't, not for sure."

"Well who's gonna summon her?"

"I will. She'll come after me." Buffy remained silent, watching the scene unfold in front of her.

"You know what, that's it." He pulls the car over. "This is about Jessica, isn't it? You think that's your dirty little secret that you killed her somehow? Sam, this has got to stop, man. I mean, the nightmares and calling her name out in the middle of the night, it's gonna kill you. Now listen to me. It wasn't your fault. If you wanna blame something, then blame the thing that killed her. Or hell, why don't you take a swing at me? I mean I'm the one that dragged you away from her in the first place."

"I don't blame you."

"Well you shouldn't blame yourself, because there's nothing you could've done."

"I could've warned her."

"About what? You didn't know what was gonna happen! And besides, all of this isn't a secret, I mean I know all about it. It's not gonna work with Mary anyway."

"No you don't."

"I don't what?"

"You don't know all about it. I haven't told you everything."

"What are you talking about?"

"Well it wouldn't really be a secret if I told you, would it?" Dean looks surprised "No. I don't like it. It's not gonna happen, forget it."

"Dean that girl back there is going to die unless we do something about it. And you know what? Who knows how many more people are gonna die after that? Now we're doing this. You've got to let me do this."

"No." Buffy says. She has had enough. They both turn to look at her. " Sam's right." After seeing the frown form on Dean's face and then the smile on Sam's she added, " But so is Dean. Sam, your not gonna face Mary." She took a deep breath, " I am." After knowing them for about a month and a half she was well prepared to add on, " And if any of you object I will personally tear out you rib cage and wear it as a hat. Now let's go." The brothers slowly turned to face forward again, not liking that they just agreed to send Buffy in to fight Bloody Mary.

* * *

Sam is trying to pick a lock on the door to an antique store. Finally, it opens and they see many mirrors that clutter in the shop.

"Well...that's just great." Dean says sarcastically. He pulls out the picture of Mary's dead body and looks back up at the mirror. "All right let's start looking." They split up and walk around the store. Little did they know that there was a flashing light that is a part to an alarm system.

"Maybe they've already sold it." Buffy says but Sam's flashlight stops on one specific mirror.

"I don't think so." Sam says, looking over it with a critical eye. Dean walks over to him and pulls out the picture again to compare. It is the mirror. It still had the lovely design that was the key to giving away the mirror's identity. Dean looks at Buffy, "That's it. *sighs* You sure about this?" Sam hands Dean the flashlight and makes away for Buffy to stand in front of the mirror.

"Bloody Mary. Bloody Mary." she looks at Dean who gives her an unsure look back while Sam remains passive. Buffy picks up one of the crowbars, "Bloody Mary." Instead of seeing Bloody Mary as suspected, sees a light coming through the store.

"I'll go check that out. Stay here, be careful. And Sam, protect her." Sam readies his crowbar as well. "Smash anything that moves." Dean crawls away towards the front door. He sees a headlight. "Crap." He puts the crowbar down and begins to walk to the door.

Meanwhile Sam and Buffy hear a breath, so they turn to look at a different mirror, near seeing Mary looking strait at them.

* * *

Outside Dean is now outside facing the police. "Hold it." One of the officers call.

"Woah guys, false alarm, I tripped the system." Dean says suavely.

"Who are you?"

"I'm the boss's kid."

"You're Mister Yamashiro's kid?" The police says giving him a critical eye, knowing that this couldn't possible be him. Could it?

* * *

Back inside the store Sam and Buffy are back to back looking for the murder. Sam sees her there out of the corner of his eye and smashes the mirror with the crowbar. She is in a different one now, and Buffy sees her and smashes that mirror too. They both turn to look at the mirror Mary died by.

"Come on. Come into this one." Buffy mumbles. Sam looks oddly at their reflection, which has now taken a mind of its own like Jill's. The duo starts having trouble breathing and they have a trickle of blood coming out of their eyes. Almost in synchronization they drop the crowbars and grab their hearts.

"It's your fault. You killed her. You killed Jessica." Sam reflection says while Buffy repiles with, "You call yourself a hero? You let too many people die to be one."

* * *

"Like I said, I was adopted." Dean says trying to charm the policeman again.

"Yeah." Dean is being covered back and front by the two cops. "You know, I just—I really don't have time for this right now." Dean says then he punches one cop, backhands the other, then punches the cop in front of him again. They are now on the ground, unconscious.

"You never told her the truth—who you really were." Sam's reflection calls out while Sam drops to the ground. Buffy isn't fairing any better when her own reflection starts to list people that have died in her care, "Ford, Angel, Mom. They all depended on you and you killed them! It's your fault Mom's dead always has been." Buffy falls to the ground too. "But it's more than that, isn't it? Those nightmares you've been having of Jessica dying, screaming, burning. You had them for days before she died. Didn't you!? You were so desperate to ignore them, to believe they were just dreams. How could you ignore them like that? How could you leave her alone to die!? You dreamt it would happen!" Sam's reflection calls out once more. "You are a coward for being with them! You can run away from your problems, Buffy but nothing stays buried, hell we don't stay buried! Everyone you love leaves you a one point or another. Dad, Mom, Angel, Riley, Giles, Willow, Xander, Dawn! The list goes on and on! What makes you think they won't leave you as well. Admit it, your addicted to the misery! And your nothing more than a Slayer, that's all you will ever be." Buffy's reflection rasps out the horrible words that Buffy would never admit that she somewhat believed. Suddenly Dean's crowbar goes through the mirror. Dean bends down to the floor.

"Sam Sam, Sammy!" He calls, already knowing Buffy is okay.

"It's Sam." Sam says annoyed, he just had to bring back Sammy. Noticing the blood that has fallen from their eyes Dean asks, "God, are you guys okay?"

"Uh, yeah. It's not like I have blood coming out of my eyes." Buffy says jokingly, even though the pain is very high even for her pain thresh hold.

"Come on, come on." He pulls Sam and Buffy up. He puts one of Sam's arms over his neck as well as Buffy's , and they begin to walk out, until Mary comes out of the frame of the mirror. They turn around to see her crawling over the broken glass much like Samara in The Ring. Having finally getting a good look at her true form Buffy can't help the grimace of disgust that comes over her face. It looks as if the last time Mary had a shower was centenaries ago. Can you say eww? Mary walks towards them and all of them fall to the ground. The trio start to bleed from their eyes, but Buffy reaches up and pulls over a mirror so that Mary is forced to see her own reflection.

"You killed them! All those people! You killed them!" Mary starts choking to death and melts into a pile of blood. Buffy throws down the mirror she held and it shatters. Laying down on the floor the entire group tries to catch their breath when Dean says, "Hey Guys?"

"Yeah?" Sam groggily says.

"This has got to be like...what? 600 years of bad luck?" Buffy and Sam chuckle weakly at Dean's horrible joke that just happened to lighten the mood. They look at the remains of the glass on the shop floor and slowly make their way to the car.

* * *

Dean is driving the car with Charlie in the back, Buffy next to her, and Sam in the passenger seat. Healed from the troubling experience they chose to take Charlie home. They pull up in front of a house. "So this is really over?" Charlie asks, wanting to be entirely sure. Buffy nods, "Yeah, it's over."

"Thank you." Dean reaches back to shake her hand, and she gets out of the car.

"Charlie?" Sam says making the girl in question turn around. "Your boyfriend's death...you really should try to forgive yourself. No matter what you did, you probably couldn't have stopped it. Sometimes bad things just happen." Charlie smiles faintly, then turns around to go into the house. Dean gently hits Sam "That's good advice." They drive off "Hey Sam?"

"Yeah?"

"Now that this is all over, I want you to tell me what that secret is."

"Look...you're my brother and I'd die for you, but there are some things I need to keep to myself." Dean looks at Buffy in the rearview mirror, wanting an answer from her but the Slayer isn't sharing. After knowing the other thoughts and secrets a new found respect is held towards each of them. She wasn't going to betray his trust by mouthing off to Dean, no matter what, just like he wasn't going to tell Dean the inner workings of the young girl's mind. Sam looks out the window and sees Jessica in a white dress on the street corner standing next to a light pole, as they turn the corner she disappears behind the pole, and he doesn't see her again.

**To Be Continued! Love it, Hate it? Tell in me the comments new chapter every Wednesday.**


	5. Chapter 5: Skin

**The End or the Beginning?**

**Chapter 5: Skin**

**I saw a few stories resembling this and wanted to take a stab at it. I heard it was originally a challenge but I'm not sure so…. Anyway….. Also in my story Buffy died in 2004/2005 so it's the start of Supernatural's season 1.**

**Sam and Dean find Buffy after she rises from her grave and things take off from there. A Buffy and Sam friendship and eventually Buffy/Dean **

**IMPORTANT**

**OMG I'm sooooo sorry I couldn't post but I have an excuse. Did you hear about hurricane Sandy? Well, it was a storm that knocked my power out for 11/12 DAYS almost two weeks! I had this chapter hand written but then had to type so that was a process… anyway I may not be able to post a Wednesday chapter. I don't even have it typed yet so if no chapter Wednesday than Sunday. If any of you experienced hurricane Sandy then I hope you are all right.**

**BloodyPasion- in regards to your comment there will be more B/D moments I promise! I have Buffy feeling clear (somewhat) to herself and it's further depicted in this chapter. I PLAN to get them together by "Faith" which is like 6 episodes (chapters) away but some eppies I may not do so more like 4 chapters so… hold in there :-) **

**ArmyWife22079- I have my plans -_- ( grins evilly)**

* * *

"_You guys couldn't tell me apart from a robot?" -Buffy Summers (Intervention Season 5) _

"It's ok. It's ok." Says a police officer to a terrified girl. With trembling fingers the girl point across the hall. " In there! In there!" She was barley able to breath out, to high in her fear. The S.W.A.T team moves to the other room. A man is there, trying to open a pair of doors leading to a balcony.

" Freeze! Don't move! Drop the knife. Keep your hands where I can see 'em. Drop it! Hold it right there! Do it!" The police officer enforces. The man turns around. It's Dean.

**One Week Earlier**

The three pull into a gas station. "Alright, I figure we'd hit Tucumcari by lunch, then head south, hit Bisbee by midnight." Noticing that Sam hasn't been paying attention Dean adds, "Sam wears women's underwear."

"I've been listenin', I'm just busy." Sam replies never looking up from his phone where he is reading e-mails.

"Busy doin' what?" Buffy asks curious at what could hold the other man's attention.

"Reading e-mails." Dean gets out of the car and starts to fill the tank with gas. Leaving the window open so he could continue his conversation with the others he asks, "E-mails from who?"

"From my friends at Stanford."

"You're kidding." Dean says in disbelief. "You still keep in touch with your college buddies?"

"Why not?" Is Sam's retort.

"Well, what exactly do you tell 'em? You know, about where you've been, what you've been doin'?" Is Deans reasoning.

"I tell 'em I'm on a road trip with my big brother and his friend. I tell 'em I needed some time off after Jess."

"Oh, so you lie to 'em."

"No. I just don't tell 'em….everything."

"Yeah, that's called lying. I mean, hey, man, I get it, tellin' the truth is far worse."

"So, what am I supposed to do, just cut everybody out of my life?" At seeing Dean's shrug Sam further remarks "You're serious?"

"Look, it sucks, but in a job like this, you can't get close to people, period."

"You're kind of anti-social, you know that? I mean look at all the friend I had down at SunnyDale." Buffy says, coming to Sam's aid. "Will, and Xander were a big help."

"Yeah, whatever." Deans says, quietly mumbling, "And look how great that turned out." under his breath. Sam continues to read his e-mails. He suddenly looks up, wearing a shocked expression he states, "God…."

"What?"

"In this e-mail from this Girl, Rebecca Warren, one of those friends of mine."

"Is she hot?" Sam ignores him while Buffy tries her bet to hold back from yelling at him in jealousy. She couldn't be jealous, they weren't together, and they could and never be. No matter how hurtful it was to for her to come to this conclusion she had. But she still had a sliver of hope that maybe… She would never have the apple pie life. No 2.5 kids and a white picket fence were ever going to be in her future. The first Slayer phrased it perfectly, _"We are alone." _She was destruction, Dean didn't deserve to be dragged into her dark life nor Sam. At times thoughts drifted to her to abandon them, leave and never come back but then she would see Sam's dorky smile and Dean's intoxicating laugh and she felt… alive. They all were friends and had to remain that way. Friends stayed, lovers left, well some friends left too but that wasn't the point. Still lost in her own thoughts (which was happening a lot recently) she only heard bits and pieces of the brother's conversation.

"I went to school with her, and her brother, Zack. She says Zack's been charged with murder. He's been arrested for killing his Girlfriend. Rebecca says he didn't do it, but it sounds like the cops have a pretty good case."

"Sam, what kind of people are you hangin' out with?"

"No, I know Zack. He's no killer."

"Well, maybe you know Zack as well as he knows you." Dean says starting to get offensive.

"They're in St. Louis. We're goin'." At hearing Sam say this Dean chuckles. "Look, sorry 'bout your buddy, okay? But this does not sound like our kind of problem."

"It is our problem. They're my friends."

"St. Louis is four hundred miles behind us, Sam." They exchange a look. A minute later, they pull out of the gas station and start driving.

* * *

Outside Rebecca's house two men are standing along with their blonde companion. Suddenly a blond women, resembling Buffy, opens the door. "Oh my God, Sam!" she calls happily.

"Well, if it isn't little Becky." Sam replies to his petite friend.

"You know what you can do with that little Becky crap." She smiles and they embrace.

"I got your e-mail." Sam says taking a step back from their hug.

"I didn't think that you would come here." Dean steps forward and extends his hand , "Dean. Older brother." She shakes his hand. Buffy remains in her spot. With a small wave and smile she says, "Buffy Summers. Family friend." Well it wasn't completely a lie.

"Hi."

"We're here to help. Whatever we can do." Sam says.

"Come in." Rebecca say, gesturing to the door which they enter.

"Nice place." Dean says in regards to the once-over he did of the home.

"It's my parents'. I was just crashing here for the weekend when everything happened. I decided to take the semester off. I'm gonna stay until Zack's free." Rebecca replies dully.

"So, where are the parental units then?" Buffy asks as they continue to walk down the hall.

"They live in Paris for half the year, so they're on their way home now for the trial." They enter the kitchen. "Do you guys want a beer or something?"

"Hey—" Dean starts to say smiling, happy at they idea of getting to enjoy one after being on the road for so long. But that smile doesn't last once Sam says, "No, thanks. So, tell us what happened." Knowing he wasn't going to get his favorite drink-at least for a little while- he turns his full on attention to Rebecca.

"Well, um, Zack came home, and he found Emily tied to a chair. And she was beaten up and bloody, and she wasn't breathing." Her emotions start to overcome her which results to her in tears. "So, he called 911, and the police, they showed up, and they arrested him. But, the thing is, the only way that Zack could've killed Emily is if he was in two places at the same time. The police—they have a video. It's from the security tape from across the street. And it shows Zack coming home at 10:30. Now, Emily was killed just after that, but I swear, he was here with me, having a few beers until at least after midnight."

"You know, maybe we could see the crime scene. Zack's house." Sam states.

"We could." Dean says trying to be helpful

"Why? I mean, what could you do?" Rebecca questions with teary eyes.

"Well, me, not much. But Dean's a cop." Buffy starts to laugh which makes Sam add, "Buffy's his partner." Sam couldn't help but want to get back at her for all the 'walking textbook with arms' jokes she has pulled over the weeks. Sobering up from her laughter Buffy gives Sam a death glare then says, "Detective, actually."

"Really?" Dean and Buffy both nod. "Where?" The upset woman asks. Saving the other blonde from answering, Dean's quick thinking makes him blurt out, "Bisbee, Arizona. But we're off-duty now."

"You guys, it's so nice to offer, but I just—I don't know."

"Bec, look, I know Zack didn't do this. Now, we have to find a way to prove that he's innocent." Sam says trying to soothe his friend down from her fears.

"Okay. I'm gonna go get the keys." She walks away, down the hall.

"Oh, yeah, man, you're a real straight shooter with your friends." Dean says, reminding Sam about their early argument.

"Look, Zack and Becky need our help."

"I just don't think this is our kind of problem."

"Two places at once? We've looked into less." Dean says nothing, defeated while Buffy eyes gleam in amusement.

* * *

Buffy, Rebecca, Sam, and, Dean pull up to a suburban house. They walk towards the door of Zack's home but before they enter Rebecca asks the 'detectives' "You're sure this is okay?"

"Yeah. We're officers of the law." Dean says, and on that note they walk in.

Rebecca remains outside on the porch steps while Sam, Buffy, and Dean look around the home. The furniture and walls are smeared with the blood of Zack's girlfriend. "Bec, you wanna wait outside?" Sam asks, not knowing if his friend could stomach the sight.

"No. I wanna help." Rebecca responds determined, she then ducks under the police tape and enters the house.

"Tell us what else the police said." Tearfully Rebecca says "Well, there's no sign of a break-in. They say that Emily let her attacker in. The lawyers—they're already talking about plea bargain." She further examines the room and doesn't like what she sees "Oh, God…." Is her hoarse whisper.

"Look, Bec, if Zack didn't do this, it means someone else did. Any idea who?" Rebecca shakes her head, then as if a lightbulb went off, she remembers something.

"Um, there was something, about a week before. Somebody broke in here and stole some clothes—Zack's clothes. The police they don't think it's anything. I mean, we're not that far from downtown. Sometimes people get robbed." Sam walks away to further investigate, joining Buffy in the search. Dean moves to the open front door and sees the neighbor's dog, barking loudly. Rebecca comes up behind him. "You know, that used to be the sweetest dog."

"What happened?"

"He just changed."

"Do you remember when he changed?"

"I guess around the time of the murder." Dean looks at her, gears turning, then walks away.

Sam is now in the hallway, looking at a framed picture of himself, Zack, and Rebecca longingly. Dean walks over to him with Buffy hot on his trail.

"So, the neighbor's dog went psycho right around the time Zack's Girlfriend was killed." Dean says.

"Animals can have a sharp sense of the paranormal." Buffy adds onto Dean's factoid.

"Yeah, maybe Fido saw somethin'."

"So, you think maybe this is our kind of problem?" Sam asks Dean

"No. Probably not. But we should look at the security tape, you know, just to make sure."

"Oh this is sooo our problem." Buffy says hazel eyes rolling.

"Yeah. Whatever you say Blondie." Rebecca walks over to them. "So, the tape. The security footage—you think maybe your lawyers could get their hands on it, 'cause I just don't have that kind of jurisdiction."

"I've already got it. I didn't wanna say something in front of the cop." While Buffy smirks at the girl's meddling, Dean laughs. "I stole it off the lawyer's desk. I just had to see it for myself."

"All right." All four of them leave.

* * *

Somewhere else in town Zack is sitting on a bench across the street from a house. He watches an Asian man come out of the home with his wife, Lindsay.

"I'll be home tomorrow night. I'll make it up to you." The man says. They kiss. The man gets in his car and drives away. Zack watches Lindsay go back in the house. He smiles wickedly, and his eyes glint silver for a moment, before returning to normal.

* * *

Back in Rebecca's house. Dean, Sam, Buffy, and Rebecca are watching the security footage in the living room.

"Here he comes." Rebecca says, knowing this from watching the tape to many times to count, hoping that she would find something the police did not so she could prove her brother's innocence.. The video shows Zack entering his house. Noticing the timestamp, Dean say, "22:04, that's just after ten. You said time of death was about 10:30."

"Our lawyers hired some kind of video expert. He says the tape's authentic. It wasn't tampered with." Sam and Buffy seem to notice something on the tape.

"Hey, Bec, can we take those beers now? Oh and some water for Buffy?" Sam asks looking for a diversion to get his friend out of the room.

"Oh, sure." She gets up to go to the kitchen.

" Hey." She turns around. "Maybe some sandwiches, too?"

"What do you think this is, Hooters?" She leaves the room.

"I wish." Dean grumbles. "What is it?"

"Check this out." Buffy says while she rewinds the tape, then replays it. One of the frames shows Zack looking directly at the camera. His eyes are silver. Buffy pauses the tape.

"Well, maybe it's just a camera flare." Dean reasons.

"That's not like any camera flare I've ever seen."

"You know, a lot of cultures believe that a photograph can catch a glimpse of the soul." Sam adds to help prove that he was right, this was a case. "Remember that dog that was freakin' out? Maybe he saw this thing. Maybe this is some kind of dark double of Zack's, something that looks like him but isn't him."

"Like a Doppelgänger. Willow once brought her own evil self here. It was very evita-like." After a pause Buffy adds, "And kinda gay."

"Umm... Anyway, it'd sure explain how he was two places at once."

* * *

Blocks away the Asian man renters his home. Expecting to see his wife he says, "Honey, it's me. Flight cancelled at the last minute." He sets down his briefcase and keys and looks around. "I called. Why didn't you answer?" Lindsay doesn't respond. "Lindsay?" He looks around. "Lindsay?" He turns around and sees blood spattered on the wall. "Lindsay?!" He shouts, scared of the possibilities of what could have happened to his beloved. He opens the door to a nearby room and finds Lindsay. She is tied in a chair, beaten and bloody. The man rushes over to her and takes the gag out of her mouth. "It's ok, Lindsay, it's me." He tries to soothe her but she won't have anything of it."

"Please, don't hurt me anymore! Leave me alone!" She pleads. The man looks at her, confused. He hears a noise in the other room and leaves. In the living room, the man looks around. Suddenly, he turns and sees himself, standing there with a baseball bat. The man is thoroughly puzzled. The double's eyes glint silver, and he hits the man over the head with the bat. His world goes black.

* * *

Buffy, Dean, and Sam park their car behind Zack's house and get out. "Alright, so what are we doin' here at 5:30 in the morning?" Dean says obliviously annoyed.

"We realized something. The-" Sam starts but is cut off by Dean who questions, "We?"

"Don't let the blonde fool you. I do have some good theories and can come in handy for thinking, not just demon ass kicking." Buffy replies annoyed as well but for different reasons. Did Dean think of her as dumb? Does he think I'm- she stopped her thoughts before they could venture further.

"So anyway." Sam continues to get back to the topic at hand. "Buffy and I thought the videotape shows the killer goin' in, but not comin' out."

"So, he came out the back door?" Dean replies nonchalantly as he joins Buffy in the activity of leaning against the hood of his car.

"Right. So, there should be a trail to follow. A trail the police would never pursue."

"'Cause they think the killer never left. And they caught your friend Zack inside. I still don't know what we're doin' here at 5:30 in the morning." Sam looks around the outside of the building, and notices blood smeared on a nearby telephone pole.

"Blood. Somebody came this way."

"Yeah, but the trail ends. I don't see anything over here." An ambulance drives past them, and they all exchange a look.

Dean, Buffy, and Sam observe the scene of an Asian man being handcuffed and stepping into a police car. "What happened?" Buffy asks the nearby bystander.

"He tried to kill his wife. Tied her up and beat her." The woman remarks.

"Really?"

"I used to see him going to work in the morning. He'd wave, say hello. He seemed like such a nice guy." Her voice now quieter as she contemplates on the situation at hand. The small group watch the man get taken away.

* * *

Later in the day, once the police have gone the group returns to the house. Sam is on the side of the home, looking around. He looks inside two garbage cans but finds nothing. He moves to the front of the house, where Dean and Buffy come behind him.

"Hey." Sam turns around after hearing the sound of his brother's voice. "Remember when I said this wasn't our kind of problem?"

"Yeah." The younger Winchester did remember his older brother almost flat out tell him Zack was a murder.

"Definitely our kind of problem."

"Told ya." Buffy says, not even trying to hide her smirk of victory.

"What'd you find out?" Sam questions with a grin plastered on his own face as well.

"Well, we just talked to the patrolman who was first on the scene, heard this guy, Alex's story. Apparently the dude was driving home from a business trip when his wife was attacked." Dean recaps.

"So, he was two places at once."

"Exactly. Then he sees himself in the house, police think he's a nutjob."

"Two dark doubles attacking loved ones in exactly the same way. Something seems way wrong and not in the I torture love ones way." Buffy says, uncertain of the doubles theory. "Could be the same thing doin' it, too." Sam thinks for a second until he finally blurts out, "Shapeshifter. Something that can make itself look like anyone."

"Every culture in the world has a shapeshifter lore. You know, legends of creatures who can transform themselves into animals or other men." Dean explains.

"Right, skinwalkers"

"Werewolves. We've got two attacks within blocks of each other. I'm guessin' we've got a shapeshifter prowlin' the neighborhood. Which is just great." Buffy's voice fills with fake enthusiasm. She wasn't a big fan of things that could possess the appearance of anyone they choose. She still didn't even like Spike's sex slave, the Buffybot.

"Let me ask you this, in all this shapeshifter lore, can any of them fly?" Sam asks.

"Not that I know of." Is Dean's response to Sam's question.

"I picked up a trail here. Someone ran out the back of this building and headed off this way."

"Just like your friend's house." The brothers notice Buffy walking away and follow her. She tells them, once they come to a stop, "Well, there's another way to go—down." The two men look down and notice a manhole. "Really? Flying shapeshifters?" Buffy doesn't even try to suppress the onslaught of giggles while Sam does try to suppress his rapidly growing blush.

* * *

Dean, Buffy, and Sam climb down the manhole and look around. Now in the dark, dirty sewer Sam comes up with an idea, "I bet this runs right by Zack's house, too. The shapeshifter could be using the sewer system to get around."

"I think you're right. Look at this." Buffy commands. They bend down and examine a pile of blood and skin on the ground. They are all disgusted but the blonde the least.

"Is this from his victims?" Dean then takes out his pocketknife and holds up some of the skin. "You know, I just had a sick thought. When the shapeshifter changes shape—maybe it sheds."

"That is sick." Sam can barley keep the gag out of his voice as he watches Dean puts the bloody pile back on the ground. "How are you not grossed out Buff?"

"Let's see, I was corpse, got turned into a rat, and worst of all, finding out my mother had sex with someone I thought of as a father on the hood of a police car... twice! Nothing really gives me a good squirm like it used to." The almost non-phased Slayer responds matter-of-factly.

Dean opens the trunk and takes some weapons out of his car. "Well, one thing I learned from Dad, is that no matter what kind of shapeshifter it is, there's one sure way to kill it."

"Silver bullet to the heart." Sam directs to Buffy. The girl grumbles, "Great. Guns." with fake enthusiasm. The Slayer is now an excellent shot with the help of Sam but would prefer to be using one of her own weapons. The shrill ringing of Sam's cell phone pierces the air. He answers it. "This is Sam." He says into the device.

"Where are you?" Rebecca asks as she is stands in her kitchen.

"We're near Zack's, we're just checkin' some things out."

"Well, look, Sam, just stop, 'cause I really don't need your help anymore."

"What are you talkin' about?"

"I told the lawyers that we went to the crime scene." Sam scoffs.

"Why would you do that?"

"Well, I told them that we were with a police officer. And they checked it out, and they told me that there is no detective Dean Winchester or Buffy Summers."

"Bec—"

"No, I don't understand why you would lie to me about something like that."

"We're tryin' to help."

"Oh, trying to help? Do you realize that that was a sealed crime scene? This could have just ruined Zack's case."

"Bec, I'm sorry, but—"

"No, goodbye, Sam." She hangs up. Dean walks over to Sam, who looks disappointed and tells his brother, "I hate to say it, but that's exactly what I'm talkin' about. You lie to your friends because if they knew the real you, they'd be freaked. It's just—it'd be easier if—"

"If I was like you." Sam finishes solemnly.

"Hey, man, like it or not, we are not like other people. But I'll tell you one thing. This whole gig—it ain't without perks." He holds up a gun. Sam takes it and puts it in the back of his jeans. The three walk away.

* * *

Back in the sewer Dean, Sam, are Buffy are looking around with their flashlights and guns raised. "I think we're close to its lair." Buffy says breaking the tense silence.

"Why do you say that?" Sam inquires. Slayer senses were good but were they that good?

"Because there's another puke-inducing pile next to your face." Sam turns and sees another pile of blood and skin on a nearby pipe, "Oh, God!" he calls, disgust clear on his face. Dean laughs at his brother's distress while Buffy gives a giant grin, a thing she was now commonly associating with the duo. They look around the area and see a pile of clothes in a corner.

"Looks like it's lived here for a while." Dean says eyeing the apparel.

"Who knows how many murders he's gotten away with?" Sam turns and sees the shapeshifter, still in the form of the Asian man, standing behind Buffy. "Buffy!" Buffy turns and gets punched by the shapeshifter. She falls to the ground, and the shapeshifter runs away. Sam and Dean shoot after it a few times but misses. They move over to Buffy.

"Get the son of a bitch!" After a moment Buffy mumbles, "I'm spending way to much time with Dean." They all run away, following the shapeshifter.

The shapeshifter comes out of the manhole and runs away. Seconds later, the three come out and look around.

"All right, let's split up." Sam suggests.

"All right, I'll meet you guys around the other side." Buffy says. They walk away, the brothers together and Buffy the lone wolf. Buffy walks into an alley while Sam and Dean venture further into the street.

* * *

Buffy is looking around the alley with her gun drawn. Passersby turn away, frightened.

* * *

Sam and Dean are also searching, while keeping their guns inside their jacket.

* * *

Buffy is still looking frantically.

* * *

At the street corner Sam and Dean are waiting. Buffy comes up behind them, "Hey." The brother turns around once hearing her voice. "Anything?"

"No. He's gone." Sam replies.

"All right, let's get back to the car." Dean says. The brothers cross the street, but Buffy stops, waiting for a passing car to drive by. As the car passes, Buffy's eyes momentarily glow silver.

Before entering the car Sam asks, "You think he found another way underground?"

"Yeah, probably. You got the keys?" Buffy asks. Sam and Dean look at each other before turning around. Buffy never asked to drive for two reasons, Dean would never allow it, and because she couldn't drive. Something wasn't right. Playing the scene out, Sam throws 'Buffy' the keys and walks away with Dean. The shapeshifter opens the trunk and observes all the weapons. She laughs. "Don't move!" The shapeshifter turns and sees Sam and Dean pointing a gun at her. "What have you done with her?" Dean asks trying to remain calm. He was just boiling over at the possibility of something happening to her that he couldn't stop.

"Guys, chill. It's me, all right?" Buffy says, arms raised.

"No, I don't think so. Where's Buffy?" Sam cuts in, his voice threatening.

"You're about to shoot her. Guys, calm down."

"You caught those keys with your left. Your shoulder was hurt."

"Yeah, it's better. What do you want me to do, cry? I have Slayer healing ya know." The imposter reasons.

"You're not Buffy." Dean says, rage ablaze.

"Why don't you pull the trigger, then? Hm? 'Cause you're not sure. Guys, you know me."

"Don't." The shapeshifter pauses before hitting Sam twice with a crowbar. Sam falls to the ground and before Dean could react he too was hit. Both brothers worlds became darkness.

* * *

In an unknown location. Sam wakes up in a dingy, dusty room to see an already awake Dean. Their necks and hands are bound to a wooden post. The shapeshifter walks over to them and backhands both boys. Groans come from both Winchesters.

"Where is she? Where's Buffy?" Dean asks.

"I wouldn't worry about her. I'd worry about you. Poor slip on my part but you win some you loose some." The look-a-like replies.

"Where is she?" Sam repeats Dean's question.

"You don't really wanna know." She chuckles. "I swear, the more I learn about her and her life—I thought I came from a bad background."

"What do you mean, learn?" The shapeshifter stops. She grabs her head in pain and grimaces. Sam and Dean look at the shapeshifter, confused. The shapeshifter relaxes and looks back at Sam and Dean.

"She's sure got issues ya know. Hell if it weren't for you guys, she would have killed herself long ago."

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh that's right she didn't-I didn't tell you. The reasons my friends brought me back was 'cause they thought I was in Hell. News flash, I was happy. When I was on that tower I was gonna jump, but you saved me. That doesn't stop the thoughts though, every Slayer has a death wish, inside I'm already dead."

"You're lying." Dean says. They knew her, she would tell them wouldn't she?

"Am I? You see Dean, you guys make me happy, one of you especially… but hey. I try not to get close to you guys but it never seems to work. I like you I do but I hold back, you know why? Because I know I'm a freak. And sooner or later, everybody's gonna leave me." She backs away.

"What are you talking about?" Sam asks while Dean was stunned into silence.

"Dad left mom. No explanation, nothing, just poof probably went to the nearest secretary. Angel gone. Riley gone. Cordelia left. Xander and Willow would betray me any chance they got when it came to a verbal smack down. Giles, I heard he left for England, a few weeks after my death I'll have you know. My mother even kicked me out of my own house. Hell, even my sister, how many times did I have to save her." The shifter laughs a fake, crude laugh. "You're family and I'm not. You guys, you'll leave me too. Slayers are alone. But still this life? It's not without its perks. I meet the nicest people. Like little Becky. You know, Dean would bang her if he had the chance." 'Buffy' covers both brothers faces with a sheet. The popping and snapping of bones is heard until finally the shifter says, "Let's see what happens." But it's not Buffy's voice, it's Dean's.

* * *

There is a knock at the door, and Rebecca comes downstairs to open it. It is the shapeshifter, still in the form of Dean.

"Oh. Hi." Rebecca says, faux happiness.

"I know what you're gonna say."

"Oh, you do?"

"Well, no, not exactly. But I can take a guess. 'Get off my porch?'" She laughs, her anger fading at his humorous comment.

"That's about right."

"I admit it, we lied. Thought I'd try to explain myself. Sam told me not to come, but, you know, I thought, what the hell, I have to try." He smiles.

Sam and Dean are trying to get out of their ropes but failing happens to be the top result.

"Damn it." Sam curses. Suddenly they hear movement in another area of the room, and it is the sound of someone coughing.

"That better be you guys, and not that freak of nature." Sam laughs at Buffy's joke from his tied position.

"Yeah, it's us." Buffy manages to uncover herself from the sheet and starts to undo her ropes. "He went to Rebecca's, lookin' like Dean after being you."

"Well, he's not stupid. He picked the handsome one." The 'handsome one' says. Sam gives Dean a confused look, then continues to try and break out of his ropes. "Oh Buff? After this we are so having a serious discussion."

* * *

In Rebecca's house, Rebecca and the shapeshifter are sitting in front of the fireplace. "So, you're saying that there's something out there that made itself look like my brother." She asks, trying to understand 'Dean's' logic.

"Mmhmm."

"What'd you call it?"

"A shapeshifter." Rebecca laughs and rolls her eyes. "Yeah, maybe we're crazy. But what if we're not? I mean, look, you said it yourself that Zack was in two places at once. Now, tell me how that can happen."

"Okay, so, this thing—it can make itself look like anybody?"

"That's right." She chuckles.

"Well, what is it, like a genetic freak?" The shapeshifter laughs.

"Maybe. Evolution is about mutation, right? So, maybe this thing was born human but was different. Hideous and hated. Until he learned to become someone else." Rebecca looks around, uncomfortable of where their conversation was going. The shapeshifter's eyes glint silver, and he smiles.

* * *

Buffy, Dean, and Sam are still working their way out of their ropes. "Yeah, that's the thing. She didn't just look like you, she was you. Or she was becoming you." Sam explains the situation to Buffy, who has finally worked her way out of the ropes.

"What do you mean?" She asks.

"I don't know, it was like she was downloading your thoughts and memories."

"Like the Vulcan mind meld." Dean supplies.

"Yeah, somethin' like that. I mean, maybe that's why he doesn't just kill us." Buffy gets up and walks over to Sam.

"Maybe it needs to keep us alive. Psychic connection." Buffy starts untying Sam's ropes. "Good thing you could tell it was me." Buffy starts. "Once my friends couldn't tell me apart from a robot. Pathetic much?"

"Yeah. Come on, we gotta go. He's probably at Rebecca's already." Sam says after Buffy has cut him and his brother free.

The three climb out a window and onto the street. "Come on. We gotta find a phone, call the police." Sam says seriously.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. You're gonna put an APB out on me." Buffy and Sam look at each other and shrug.

"Sorry." Buffy flippantly says, her voice betraying her words.

"This way." They start running down the street.

* * *

"It's funny. I kind of understand him. He's all alone—close to no one. All he wants is for someone to love him. He's like me." Rebecca looks very uncomfortable. "You know, everybody needs a little human touch now and then. It's so hard to be different." He tucks Rebecca's hair behind her ear. She shrugs away from his repulsive touch.

"You should go." The shapeshifter leans in and whispers something in her ear. She looks horrified and stands up. "You are disgusting, just get the hell out of here!"

"Rebecca, just calm down." He stands up.

"Calm down? What is wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you?" She walks to the phone.

"I'm calling the police." The shapeshifter walks over to her and throws the phone to the floor. She screams and tries to run away, but he trips her and she falls to the ground. He straddles her legs and begins tying her hands with the telephone cord.

"Give me your hands!" She continues to scream. "Shut up!"

* * *

Rebecca is tied to a chair, beaten and bloody in her bedroom.

"You're a nice Girl, Rebecca. I mean, I liked you not as much as Buff but she would have kicked my ass. But believe me, that doesn't make this any less harder." He holds up a knife and examines it. "I gotta do what I gotta do." He moves towards her. Suddenly, they hear a crash come from another room of the house. Rebecca screams but the shapeshifter covers her mouth and holds the knife to her throat. "Shh."

In the hallway, the S.W.A.T. team is searching the house. While their backs are turned, the shapeshifter crosses the hall and goes into another room.

The shapeshifter enters and closes a door that leads to a second bedroom. Looking around frantically, he moves to a set of doors leading out to a balcony. Just as he opens the doors, the S.W.A.T team enters. "Freeze! Drop the knife! Drop the knife! Drop the knife!" The shapeshifter throws the knife at the police officer, and the rest of the team begins shooting. The shapeshifter kicks one of the men, then goes outside and jumps off the balcony, onto the grass below. Come on! Come on! Go! Go! The shapeshifter runs away, while the team continues to shoot and miss him several times.

In the sewer, the shapeshifter stops walking, looking weak, he takes off his jacket and shirt, then falls to his knees. He groans and screams in pain as he continues to shed his skin.

* * *

Buffy, Dean, and Sam are standing in front of a store window, watching a news report that is being shown on a display of televisions. "An anonymous tip led police to a home in the Central West End, where a S.W.A.T team discovered a local woman bound and gagged. Her attacker, a white male, approximately twenty-four to thirty years of age, was discovered hiding in her home." A sketch of Dean appears on the screen.

"Man! That's not even a good picture." Dean says, upset with how unrealistic it looks compared to himself. Sam looks around cautiously.

"It's good enough." Sam calls as he walks away with Buffy behind him.

"Man!" He follows the others.

Dean, Buffy, and Sam are walking in the alleyway. Dean steps into a puddle and stops mid-stride.

"Come on." Buffy urges. "They said attempted murder. At least we know—"

"I didn't kill her." A solem Dean says.

"We'll check with Rebecca in the morning, see if she's all right." Sam says.

"All right, but first I wanna find that handsome devil and kick the holy crap out of him." They stop walking.

"We have no weapons. No silver bullets."

"Sam, the guy's walkin' around with my face, okay, it's a little personal, I wanna find him."

"Me too. She jumped me... Or is I jumped me? Anyway I want to find it." Buffy adds, still annoyed at that mishap.

"Okay. Where do we look?" Sam reluctantly agrees.

"Well, we could start with the sewers."

"We have no weapons. He stole our guns, we need more." They pause to think. "The car?"

"I'm bettin' he drove over to Rebecca's." Buffy says, arms crossed.

"The news said he fled on foot. I bet it's still parked there."

"The thought of him drivin' my car." Dean complains.

"All right, come on." They start walking.

"It's killin' me."

"Let it go." Buffy chuckles at the brothers antics. She would never understand the 'men +car=love' formula.

* * *

The trio walks around the side of Rebecca's house and sees Dean's car parked. Relieved Dean exclaims, "Oh, there she is! Finally, something went right tonight." He should have known better than to jinx the situation. A police car appears and parks next to Dean's car. "Oh, crap." They turn around, but another police car is parked a few yards away. "This way, this way." He moves towards a fence.

"You go. we'll hold 'em off." Sam says, speaking for himself and the blonde beauty.

"What are you talking about? They'll catch you."

"Look, they can't hold us. Just go, keep out of sight. Meet us at Rebecca's." Dean starts to climb over the fence. "Dean." Dean stops and turns around. "Stay out of the sewers alone." Dean says nothing and hops over the fence. "I mean it!"

"Yeah, yeah!" He calls.

"Should I go with him?" Buffy asks Sam. "We both know he going towards the sewers." Before Sam can answer a police officer irrupts them by saying "Don't move! Keep your hands where I can see 'em." They oblige.

"I think it's a little too late for that." Sam whispers.

* * *

Dean is getting weapons from the trunk of his car. "I'm sorry, Sam. But you know me—I just can't wait." He closes the trunk and walks away.

Dean is looking around the sewer once more. He comes across a chamber filled with candles and chains. Revolting piles of skin and blood are on the floor. Dean hears a noise and moves to another area of the sewer. He sees a large figure covered with a sheet. He removes it and sees Rebecca. Her hands and feet are bound together with rope.

"Rebecca?" He breathes out

* * *

Sam is sitting, having a beer along with Buffy (sans beer). They are talking with the shapeshifter, who is in the form of Rebecca. Buffy's senses are on high but she believes that it is because of the shapeshifter that was here hours ago.

"So, say this shapeshifter is real. By the way, you know you're crazy? But, um, say it is real. How do you stop it?" She replaces Sam's empty beer bottle with a new one.

"Thanks." He sighs. "Silver bullet to the heart." She chuckles.

"You are crazy." She hits him over the head with the empty bottle. Buffy would have reacted but she was to busy saving Sam from toppling to the floor unconscious. Before she could even throw a punch, she too was knocked out as well. The shapeshifter's eyes momentarily glow silver after it looks at its unconscious prey.

* * *

Back in the sewer, Dean is untying Rebecca's ropes. "What happened?"

"I was walking home, and everything just went white. Someone hit me over the head, and I wound up here just in time to see that thing turn into me. I don't know, how is that even possible?" Rebecca answers, crying.

"Okay, okay. It's okay." He finishes untying her. "Come on. Can you walk?" She nods. "Okay, we've gotta hurry. Sam and Buffy went to see you."

* * *

The shapeshifter has changed back into the form of Dean. He finishes tying up Sam's hands and feet, then starts walking around the kitchen. Sam is still unconscious but is slowly beginning to stir.

"What are you gonna do to us?" Buffy asks struggling to get free of her chains. Unlike Buffy, Sam is tied with rope because he isn't as strong as the petite girl. Over the rattling the shifter says, "Oh, I'm not gonna do anything. Dean will, though."

"They'll never catch him."

"Oh, doesn't matter. Murder in the first of his own brother and on the girl he has feelings for? He'll be hunted the rest of his life." He picks up a sharp knife and examines it.

"He doesn't have feeling for me." Buffy says, sadly she believes her words.

"Oh he has feelings for you. He just doesn't fully realize it yet. But it won't matter, you'll already be dead."

After Sam has fully stirred, the shapeshifter is ranting and raving to his captives, "I must say, I will be sorry to lose this skin. Your brother's got a lot of good qualities. You should appreciate him more than you do." He pours himself a drink. "Cheers." He takes a drink, then picks up the knife from the kitchen and sticks it into the edge of the pool table. Sam lifts his legs and kicks the shapeshifter, who falls to the ground. Sam quickly sits up and moves his hands up and down on the blade of the knife. The ropes break apart. The shapeshifter gets up, and Sam takes the knife and swings at him. The shapeshifter grabs Sam's arm in mid-swing and twists it, causing Sam to fall to the ground. "Oh, you son of a bitch." He and Sam start to fight. Sam tries to pin Dean down but it was no use "Not bad, little brother."

"You're not him." They continue to fight. The shapeshifter finally throws Sam into a bookshelf. It falls apart, and books fall on top of Sam. Murmuring curses under her breath, Buffy tries frantically to break the chains but has no avail.

"Even when we were kids, I always kicked your ass." He grabs a pool cue and swings at Sam but misses and hits a light fixture. After fighting for several more minutes, they fall onto a coffee table. The shapeshifter pins Sam to the floor and starts to choke him.

"Hey!" The shapeshifter sees Dean and gets off of Sam. Dean aims his gun at the shapeshifter and shoots him in the heart twice. The shapeshifter falls to the ground, dead. Rebecca enters and sees Sam on the floor. Finally with a loud clank Buffy breaks the metal chains. "A little early would have been nice Buffy." Sam wheezes out. The blonde's only response is a sheepish smile.

"Sam!" Rebecca rushes over to him. Dean walks to the shapeshifter's body and notices him wearing his necklace. Dean yanks it from around the shapeshifter's neck and nods knowingly at Sam and Rebecca.

* * *

Buffy is sitting in the car that is located outside of Rebecca's home unlike Dean who is by the car, looking at a map. Rebecca and Sam come outside into the new sunny day.

"So, this is what you do? You and your brother—you hunt down these kinds of things?" Sam's friend asks.

"Buffy too, but yeah, pretty much." Sam clarifies.

"I can't believe it. I mean, I saw it with my own eyes. And, I mean, does everybody at school—nobody knows that you do this?"

"No."

"Did Jessica know?" Sam looks thoughtful.

"No, she didn't."

"Must be lonely." Rebecca sympathizes.

"Oh, no. No, it's not so bad. Anyway, what can I do? It's my family." She laughs.

"Well, you know, Zack and me, and everybody at school—we really miss you." She soon traps the younger Winchester in a large bear hug.

"Yeah, me too." He says sadly, they pull away.

"Well, will you call sometime?"

"It might not be for a little while." Rebecca nods and waves goodbye to Dean. He waves back, and she goes back inside the house. Sam walks over to the car.

"So, what about your friend, Zack?" Dean asks once Sam approaches.

"Cops are blamin' this Dean Winchester guy for Emily's murder. They found the murder weapon in the guy's lair, Zack's clothes stained with her blood. Now they're thinking maybe the surveillance tape was tampered with. Yeah, Becca says Zack will be released soon." He smiles. Dean rolls his eyes and gets in the car next to Buffy, surprising both Buffy and Sam. Dean never sat in the back. After giving Dean a weird look, Sam climbs into the car and leaves his old pal behind.

"Sorry, man." Dean says after a few minutes of silence.

"About what?" Sam asks.

"I really wish things could be different, you know? I wish you could just be….Joe College."

"No, that's okay. You know, the truth is, even at Stanford, deep down, I never really fit in."

"Well, that's 'cause you're a freak." Buffy cuts in.

"Yeah, thanks." Sam sarcastically say.

"Well, I'm a freak, too. I'm right there with ya, all the way." Dean says making Sam laugh.

"Yeah, I know you are."

"You know, I gotta say—I'm sorry I'm gonna miss it."

"Miss what?"

"How many chances am I gonna have to see my own funeral?" The group smiles at Dean's approach to the subject. After a few minutes of silence filled with some rock song Dean says, "Buffy" Once the blonde's hazel eyes focus on him Dean adds, "We need to talk."

**To Be Continued….**


	6. Chapter 6: Home

**The End or the Beginning?**

**Chapter 6: Home**

**I saw a few stories resembling this and wanted to take a stab at it. I heard it was originally a challenge but I'm not sure so…. Anyway….. Also in my story Buffy died in 2004/2005 so it's the start of Supernatural's season 1.**

**Sam and Dean find Buffy after she rises from her grave and things take off from there. A Buffy and Sam friendship and eventually Buffy/Dean**

* * *

"_Well, you know, we wanted to welcome ya, make ya feel at home. Unless you have a scary home." - Jesse (Welcome to the Hellmouth season 1)_

**LAWRENCE, KANSAS**

A young woman, Jenny, is sitting on the floor of her home, unpacking boxes. She comes across a photo of herself and her husband at their wedding. She begins to cry just as her daughter, Sari, comes in the room. "Mommy?" She calls causing Jenny to look up

"Hey, sweetie. Why aren't you in bed?" Jenny asks, trying to keep the waver out of her voice.

"There's something in my closet." The little girl responds, frightened.

Deciding to amuse her child like any good parent should, Jenny opens Sari's closet doors and looks inside as Sari watches from her bed. "See? There's nothing there." The mother says looking into the closet full of colorful shirts and dresses.

"You sure?" Sari asks, wanting to be positive that nothing was lurking in her closet, waiting for the opportune moment to strike.

"I'm sure. Now, come on. Get into bed." Sari crawls into bed and Jenny tucks her in.

"I don't like this house." The youngster says.

"You're just not used to it yet. But you and your brother and me – we are going to be very happy here. I promise." She kisses Sari on her forehead. "I love you." She utters then turns off the light and gets up to leave the room.

"The chair."

"Okay." Jenny moves a chair under the doorknob of the closet. "The chair. Just to be safe." Sari lies down and goes to bed safely huddled in her covers. Jenny leaves. After returning to the living room, Jenny continues unpacking boxes. She stops when she hears the sound of scratching coming from the basement. "Please, God, don't let it be rats." She says not at all happy with the idea of rats infiltrating the barriers of her home. A few moments later, Jenny goes downstairs into the basement with a flashlight. She tries turning on a light, but the switches don't work. "Terrific."

Back in Sari's bedroom the chair begins moving on its own, away from the closet doors. Sari sits up in her bed, wide-eyed and afraid. Back in the basement, Jenny keeps looking around. On the floor, she sees a large black trunk. She kneels down and opens it, pulling out old photos of the Winchester family. Written on the back of a picture are the words, "The Winchesters. John, Mary, Dean, and Little Sammy." Jenny smiles. In Sari's bedroom, the closet doors open by themselves. Standing in the closet is what looks like a person, but it is entirely made out of fire. Sari's screams pierce the night's chilly air.

* * *

Buffy opens her eyes to find she is looking a black leather. It takes her a second to process that she had fallen asleep in the Impala a few hours ago. More aware of her surroundings she realizes Sam is driving and the seat next to him is…empty? With a start she recognizes Dean legs are being used to support her head. She fell asleep on his lap!? Carefully she lifts herself up only to be pulled down by Dean's arm that was residing on her lower back. Ready to question him on his forcefulness (not that she really minded) she looks up at him only to see him asleep. The hunter looks calm (an expression rare for her to see Dean in) as he slumbered. Trying to remember how she ended up in this position in the first place, Buffy almost didn't hear Sam's quiet question of, "How are you?" once he noticed she was awake. Then in a jolt it came back to her.

* * *

_Dean said, "Buffy" Once the blonde's hazel eyes focused on him Dean added, "We need to talk." _

"_What about?" She questioned. Sam turned the music off knowing they were about to partake in a very serious discussion._

"_When the shapeshifter was you it said… it said that you were gonna kill yourself. Is that true?" Dean asked, eyes locked with Buffy's. Having taken a few deep breaths Buffy forced herself to look down at her feet. Barely above a whisper she answered, terrified of what they would think of her once they knew the truth, "Yes." A deafening silence filled the car only ruined by the hum of the engine as they processed what the petite woman had said. "Wherever I ... was ... I was happy. At peace. I knew that everyone I cared about was all right. I knew it. Time ... didn't mean anything ... nothing had form ... but I was still me, you know?" Buffy risked a glance at Dean then at Sam through the side mirror. Quickly she looked away again. "And I was warm ... and I was loved ... and I was finished. Complete. I don't understand about theology or dimensions, or ... any of it, really ... but I think I was in heaven." Dean stared at her in dismay. "And now I'm not." almost tearfully she continued, " I was torn out of there. Pulled out ... by my friends. Just getting through the next moment, and the one after that ... (softly) knowing what I've lost…" She looked back at Dean, tears in her eyes, "I wanted to go back but then I met you guys… but I shouldn't stay here. You'll leave and then…" she trailed off, a few tears fell from her moisturized eyes causing her to look down once again. _

"_Hey look at me." Dean said softly, once she didn't look up Dean grabbed her chin with his slightly calloused hand, forcing her to be eye to eye with him. His thumb brushed her tears away from her cheeks softly "We're not gonna leave and neither are you." He said, his voice odd sounding to all the occupants of the car. "Right Sammy?" _

"_Of course." Sam responded, shocked at what the Slayer had been hiding._

"_You're stuck with us now. Which I should apologize for 'cause who wants to be stuck with Sam? But hey you get me." Dean said, trying to bring a smile to the blonde's face. He succeeded but he knew it was a pitiful excuse for the beautiful smile he has become accustomed to. Realizing that his hand lingered longer then it should, he slowly removed his hand silently missing her warmth. Knowing that admission had taken a lot out of her he told Buffy to get some sleep. _

"_How can I with you taking up like the entire car?" She tries to tease but it was a failed attempt and everyone knew that. It was hard for him to imagine that Buffy's personality is the way it is considering that she had seen so much, lost so much. He pats his lap which makes him earn a small chuckle. Once her head was placed on him she uttered a soft thank you then fell asleep, emotionally drained. With out even noticing it, Dean's hand found its way into her hair and had started to lightly pet her head. Keeping his eyes on her he almost didn't hear Sam's question "Dean you okay?" Sam asked after a few minutes of silence. _

"_It's just…"_

"_I know."_

* * *

Pulling herself into the present Buffy says, "Never better." but each knew is was far from the truth. Having arrived at the motel they were driving to, Sam got out of the car and went to pay for the room. Not wanting to further embarrass herself, Buffy quickly got out of Dean's arms (missing the feel) causing him to awaken. With a quietly mumbled we're here she left him, alone. Not wanting to make things awkward, she slept in Sam's bed, silently wishing it was Dean's so that her dead heart could once again beat faster.

Later that night, while Sam and Buffy are sleeping, they begin dreaming of Jenny. She is inside her bedroom, screaming for help. They both wake up at the same moment, confused. Not sure how, but each knew the other had the same dream for the crazy look in their eyes were identical. Looking at the clock that read 3:28 A.M. it was silently agreed that they would look further into this later. The next morning, while Dean is on the computer, Sam is drawing a picture of a tree with Buffy watching, occasionally adding her own thoughts on the picture like, "the branches were wider" or "the truck's too big." The only sounds in the room are Buffy's whispered words, Sam's granite pencil, and Dean's fingers lightly tapping on the keyboard the later went unnoticed by the others, who were too engrossed in the drawing.

"All right. I've been cruisin' some websites. I think I found a few candidates for our next gig. A fishing trawler found off the coast of Cali – its crew vanished. And, uh, we got some cattle mutilations in West Texas. Seeing that neither Slayer nor hunter were listening, Dean says a loudly "Hey." They look up from their drawing. "Am I boring you with this hunting evil stuff?"

"No. I'm listening. Keep going." Buffy responds unconvincingly, eyes never leaving the sketch. Something was gnawing at her, she had seen this tree before and she had a prophecy dream, Sam too. Something strange is going on… well more than usually. She knew Sam had these kind of dreams due to the Bloody Mary ordeal but for her to have the same dream as well…

"And, here, a Sacramento man shot himself in the head. Three times." He waves his hand in front of Sam's face then Buffy's. "Any of these things blowin' up your skirt, pal?" Buffy inwardly grimaced once she realized he was talking about going to California. Looking at his picture Sam suddenly connects the final pieces of the troubling puzzle. "Wait. I've seen this." Sam calls looking at Buffy.

"Seen what?" Sam gets up from the bed and goes searching through his duffel bag. "What are you doing?" Sam finds a photo of their family from when he was a baby. He compares the tree in the photo to his drawing. They are the same, every tiny little detail a picture perfect replication.

"Dean, I know where we have to go next."

"Where?"

"Back home – back to Kansas."

"Okay, random. Where'd that come from?" After presenting the photo to Buffy he shows Dean

"All right, um, this photo was taken in front of our old house, right? The house where Mom died?"

"Yeah." Dean replies unsure of where this conversation was going.

"And it didn't burn down, right? I mean, not completely, they rebuilt it, right?"

"I guess so, yeah. What the hell are you talkin' about?"

"Okay, look, this is gonna sound crazy but….the people who live in our old house –- I think they might be in danger."

"Why would you think that?"

"Uh…it's just, um….look, just trust me on this, okay?" He starts to walk away not wanting to disclose his ablates to Dean just yet. Unfortunately, Dean follows while Buffy remains watching the show, ready to come to Sam's aid if need be.

"Wait, whoa, whoa, trust you?"

"Yeah."

"Come on, man, that's weak. You gotta give me a little bit more than that."

"I can't really explain it is all."

"Well, tough. I'm not goin' anywhere until you do." Sam sighs looking at Dean who waits expectantly.

"I have these nightmares." Nodding Dean adds, "I've noticed. Taking a big gulp of air Sam prepares himself to say what needs to be said.

"And sometimes….they come true."

"Come again?" A stunned expression had crossed Dean's face but it was quickly hidden.

"Look, Dean….I dreamt about Jessica's death –for days before it happened."

"Sam, people have weird dreams, man. I'm sure it's just a coincidence." He sits down on the bed next to Buffy.

"No, I dreamt about the blood dripping, her on the ceiling, the fire, everything, and I didn't do anything about it 'cause I didn't believe it. And now I'm dreaming about that tree, about our house, and about some woman inside screaming for help. I mean, that's where it all started, man, this has to mean something, right? And Buffy dreamed about it too." Once hearing Sam say this, Dean's head whipped around to the blonde's, demanding an explanation.

"Prophecy dreams. I haven't had one since Sunnydale," Buffy says looking at Dean. "until now. I think Sam's right the-" But she was cut off by Dean who became to overwhelmed and says, "I don't know." in response to Sam's earlier question.

Sam sits down across from Dean on the opposite bed, "What do you mean you don't know, Dean? This woman might be in danger. I mean, this might even be the thing that killed Mom and Jessica!"

"All right, just slow down, would ya?" He stands up and begins pacing. "I mean, first you tell me that you've both got the Shining? And then you tell me that I've gotta go back home? Especially when…."

"When what?" Buffy urges, eyes locked on the pacing man who take an abrupt halt.

"When I swore to myself that I would never go back there?" The older hunter spoke not with venom but with sadness.

"Look, Dean, we have to check this out. Just to make sure." Buffy says, hating herself for knowing that this hunt will be a strain on him. On both of them.

"I know we do."

* * *

Back at the old Winchester's home Dean, Buffy, and Sam pull up outside the house. "Anymore Slayer secrets I don't know about?" Dean asks.

"Besides me coming back from the dead a lot? No let's go." Buffy says, getting out of the car but Sam and Dean linger in the car.

"You gonna be all right, man?" Sam asks Dean, who is staring intently at the house.

"Let me get back to you on that." They get out of the car only to meet Buffy at the steeps. After seeing that both men are phased by being back at their childhood home (their only home) Buffy knocks on the front door, Jenny answers it. Sam is shocked that she is the same woman from his dream while Buffy remains neutral, used to the wackiness that is her life.

"Yes?" Jenny's voice comes out as a confused mutter. Steeping out of his stupor Dean starts to say, "Sorry to bother you, ma'am, but we're with the Federal—" but is cut off by Sam (a common occurrence) "I'm Sam Winchester, and this is my brother, Dean. We used to live here. You know, we were just drivin' by, and we were wondering if we could come see the old place."

"Who that's?" Jenny queries.

"That's Buffy." Taking a minute to look at Buffy, he remembers that he wasn't a big help in making his friend feel better about being here. Turning back to Jenny he says, "She's family." The words flow out of his mouth, and he means them. Even though she wasn't related by blood, she was family. If he turned around at that moment he would have seen a slight blush on the girl's cheeks and a bittersweet smile.

"Yeah, that's so funny. You know, I think I found some of your photos the other night." Jenny believes the ruse, why wouldn't she after seeing the protective manner that Dean has for blonde. They were clearly in a type of relationship, why else would his eyes keep roaming her figure when she wasn't looking.

"You did?" Jenny nods and steps aside.

"Come on in." They go inside.

* * *

Inside the house, the three of them go to the kitchen. Sari is at the table doing homework. Ritchie, her jumpy toddler brother, is in his playpen. "Juice! Juice! Juice! Juice!" comes the toddler's mantra.

"That's Ritchie." Jenny says in regards to the bouncing boy. "He's kind of a juice junkie." She takes a sippy cup out of the refrigerator and hands it to Ritchie. "But, hey, at least he won't get dirty." She walks over to Sari. "Sari, this is Sam and Dean. They used to live here. And this is their friend, Buffy."

"Hi." Dean waves, Buffy smiles, and Sam accolades her with a simple, "Hey, Sari."

"So, you just moved in?" Buffy asks.

"Yeah, from Wichita."

"You got family here, or….?" Dean asks, unknowingly crossing into difficult territory.

"No. I just, uh….needed a fresh start, that's all. So, new town, new job –- I mean, as soon as I find one. New house."

"So, how you likin' it so far?"

"Well, uh, all due respect to your childhood home –- I mean, I'm sure you had lots of happy memories here." Dean's weak smile goes unnoticed by everyone but Buffy. "But this place has its issues."

"What do you mean?" Sam asks.

"Well, it's just getting old. Like the wiring, you know? We've got flickering lights almost hourly."

"Oh, that's too bad. What else?"

"Um…sink's backed up, there's rats in the basement." She pauses. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to complain." Offended Dean says, "No. Have you seen the rats or have you just heard scratching?"

"It's just the scratching, actually."

"Mom?" Sari calls. Jenny kneels down next to her. "Ask them if it was here when they lived here."

"What, Sari?" Sam asks.

"The thing in my closet." Sari tells the man.

"Oh, no, baby, there was nothing in their closets." Hoping that the brothers would agree, Jenny asks for conformation. "Right?"

"Right. No, no, of course not."

"She had a nightmare the other night."

"I wasn't dreaming. It came into my bedroom – and it was on fire." Sam and Dean are shocked to their core while Buffy looks surprised at the young girl's revelation.

* * *

Buffy, Dean, and Sam are walking back to the car. Buffy has remained quite for a lot of this trip, not because she didn't want to be here but because she didn't believed she belonged here. It was a family matter and no matter what Sam said, she wasn't family. "You hear that? A figure on fire." Sam says, disturbing the silence.

"And that woman, Jenny, that was the woman in your dreams?" Deans says. Buffy nods while Sam gives a more elaborate answer.

"Yeah. And you hear what she was talking about? Scratching, flickering lights, both signs of a malevolent spirit."

"Yeah, well, I'm just freaked out that your weirdo visions are comin' true."

"Well, forget about that for a minute. The thing in the house, do you think it's the thing that killed Mom and Jessica?" Sam's panicky tone isn't lost on the small group.

"I don't know!"

"Well, I mean, has it come back or has it been here the whole time?"

"It could be something else entirely, we don't know yet." Buffy tells Sam gently.

"Well, those people are in danger, guys. We have to get 'em out of that house."

"And we will." Buffy replies truthfully.

"No, I mean now."

"And how you gonna do that, huh? You got a story that she's gonna believe?" Dean huffs out.

"Then what are we supposed to do?"

* * *

The 'family' pulls up to a gas station. "We just gotta chill out, that's all. You know, if this was any other kind of job, what would we do?" Dean asks, causing Sam to sigh.

"We'd try to figure out what we were dealin' with. We'd dig into the history of the house."

"Exactly, except this time, we already know what happened."

"Yeah, but how much do you know? I mean you were a kid so how much do you actually remember?" Buffy implores.

"About that night, you mean?"

"Yeah."

"Not much. I remember the fire…the heat." He pauses for a moment, lost in his old memories but soon come back to himself, "And then I carried Sam out the front door."

"You did?" Sam asks.

"Yeah, what, you never knew that?" Dean could hardly believe it. This night was permanently etched into his father's mind and his as well, and for Sam to not even know the full story was peculiar. Shaking his head, Sam says, "No."

"And, well, you know Dad's story as well as I do. Mom was….was on the ceiling. And whatever put her there was long gone by the time Dad found her." Dean says with a tinge of sadness.

"And he never had a theory about what did it?"

"If he did, he kept it to himself. God knows we asked him enough times."

"Okay. So, if we're gonna figure out what's goin' on now…we have to figure out what happened back then. And see if it's the same thing."

"Yeah. We'll talk to Dad's friends, neighbors, people who were there at the time." After a pause Sam asks Dean, "Does this feel like just another job to you?" Dean says nothing for a moment, until finally, "I'll be right back. I gotta go to the bathroom." He walks away, if he stayed for another second, he would have seen Buffy and Sam exchange worried looks. After turning a corner, he stands next to the bathroom door and takes out his cell phone. After making sure no one can see him, he dials a number. The small hope that shone in his eyes died the moment he heard his father's voicemail pick up. "This is John Winchester. If this is an emergency, call my son, Dean at 866-907-3235." The beep sounds, alerting Dean he can now leave his message.

* * *

Back near the pumps, Buffy clears her throat and says, "I'm gonna go get a magazine…or something." She walks off, but not in the direction of the small store, and the entire way she can fell Sam's steady gaze on her back.

* * *

"Dad? I know I've left you messages before. I don't even know if you'll get 'em." He clears his throat. "But I'm with Sam. And we're in Lawrence. And there's somethin' in our old house. I don't know if it's the thing that killed Mom or not, but…" His voice breaks. He pauses, barely keeping himself together. "I don't know what to do." He begins to cry. "So, whatever you're doin', if you could get here. Please. I need your help, Dad." He hangs up sadly, with tears in his eyes.

"Hey." A female voice calls from behind him. He turns to see Buffy, who was closer than he realized, just in arms reach. She walks up to him and elopes him in a tight embrace. Standing on her tip toes, she looks into the hunter's eyes. Removing one of her delicate hands from around his waist she slowly wipes away his tears like he did for her just days ago, never breaking eye contact. He leans into her touch, almost as if he was programmed to do so. "It will be okay." Buffy coos, her own eyes watery at seeing the man she cared for in such a fragile state. She removes her hand from his cheek to place her warm lips on his damp face. Dean's eyes close in pleasure as the peck lasts longer than it should have for just a friendly kiss. Buffy slowly pulls away from both his cheek and embrace, causing him to gradually open his eyes only to find her looking straight at him once more. "Don't take to long Sam will be wondering where you went." she offers him a touching smile and leaves. Dean can only gawk at where she stood seconds ago. His hand mechanically makes its way to his kissed flesh, shocked at what had just happened and amazed and what he just felt.

* * *

Jenny is showing a plumber to the kitchen, near the sink. "No, sir, nothing weird down there, I promise. Sink just backed up on its own."

"Well, I'll take a look." The worker says.

"Thanks. Oh, okay, I'll get out of your way." She leaves the kitchen. The plumber sets down his tools and begins looking at the pipes under the sink. A few feet away, by Ritchie's playpen, a toy monkey is sitting with cymbals in its hands. Without warning, the monkey starts up. It clashes its cymbals together loudly while cackling.

After a moment, the plumber looks up, confused. The toy stops. The plumber stands up and tries turning on the garbage disposal, but it doesn't work. Instead, he rolls up his sleeve and sticks his hand down the disposal. He thinks he feels something in the drain, but when he takes his hand out, there is nothing there. He sticks most of his arm back down the disposal. Suddenly, the garbage disposal starts up. The plumber's arm is being completely torn apart as blood splatters everywhere. At the same time, the cymbal-clashing monkey starts up again, cackling as the plumber screams.

* * *

In Guenther's Auto Repair shop, four figures stand. Dean, Buffy, and Sam are talking to the owner of the garage, presumably Guenther. After the stunt at the gas station, Dean hasn't said anything to Buffy but his eyes kept darting to her whenever she wasn't aware.

"So you and John Winchester, you used to own this garage together?" The only female in the workshop questions.

"Yeah, we used to, a long time ago. Matter of fact, it must be, uh…twenty years since John disappeared. So why the cops interested all of a sudden?" The owner looks puzzled at the blonde's question. John Winchester has been missing probably longer than the girl's been alive, did they a clue?

"Oh, we're re-opening some of our unsolved cases, and the Winchester disappearance is one of 'em." Sam explains.

"Oh, well, what do you wanna know about John?"

"Well, whatever you remember, you know, whatever sticks out in your mind."

"Well…he was a stubborn bastard, I remember that." He laughs at the memory. "And, uh, whatever the game, he hated to lose, you know? It's that whole Marine thing." Dean and Sam nod. "But, oh, he sure loved Mary. And he doted on those kids."

"But that was before the fire?"

"That's right."

"He ever talk about that night?" Buffy inquires.

"No, not at first. I think he was in shock."

"Right. But eventually? What did he say about it?"

"Oh, he wasn't thinkin' straight. He said somethin' caused that fire and killed Mary." Interest peaked, Dean asks, "He ever say what did it?"

"Nothin' did it. It was an accident –- an electrical short in the ceiling or walls or somethin'. I begged him to get some help, but…"

"But what?"

"Oh, he just got worse and worse."

"How?"

"Oh, he started readin' these strange ol' books. He started goin' to see this palm reader in town."

"Palm reader? Uh, do you have a name?" The owner scoffs, "No."

* * *

The car is parked by a payphone, where Sam is looking through a phonebook. Finally finding out where the 'psychics' number's were, Sam calls the other to his attention, "All right, so there are a few psychics and palm readers in town. There's someone named El Divino. There's, uh –" He laughs at the strangeness of the name he is about to say. "there's the Mysterious Mister Fortinsky. Uh, Missouri Moseley-" But before he can continue any further, Dean interrupts. "Wait, wait. Missouri Moseley?"

"What?"

"That's a psychic?" Dean asks, waiting for conformation.

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, I guess so." Dean goes into the backseat of the car and pulls out John's journal. When he comes back both Buffy and Sam are giving him an 'are you going crazy' looks. To explain that he wasn't going insane he says, "In Dad's journal…here, look at this." He opens to the first page and shows the other two. "First page, first sentence, read that." In synch both Buffy and Sam read aloud, "I went to Missouri and I learned the truth."

"I always thought he meant the state." Dean says while shrugging.

* * *

In Missouri's house, Missouri Mosley is escorting a man out of the house while Dean and Sam sit on the couch with Buffy in between them, waiting. "All right, there. Don't you worry 'bout a thing. Your wife is crazy about you." She says in a sugary voice. The man thanks her and she closes the front door behind him. "Whew. Poor bastard. His woman is cold-bangin' the gardener."

"Why didn't you tell him?" Dean asks. Missouri steeps closer to the three. "People don't come here for the truth. They come for good news." The group stares at her. "Well? Sam and Dean, come on already, you too Buffy, I ain't got all day." She leaves the room. Said people exchange a confused look and follow her into the next room. "Well, lemme look at ya." She laughs. "Oh, you boys grew up handsome." She points a finger at Dean. "And you were one goofy-lookin' kid, too." Dean glares at her while Sam smirks. "And aren't you one of the most beautiful Slayers I ever did see?" She says to Buffy with earns her a small smile. "Sam." She grabs his and Buffy's hand. "Oh, honey you've both been through so much…I'm sorry about your girlfriend." The boys are shocked by her abilities. "And your father - he's missin'?"

"How'd you know all that?" Sam asks.

"Well, you were just thinkin' it just now." Sam raises his eyebrows, surprised.

"Well, where is he? Is he okay?" Dean pipes up.

"I don't know." Missouri replies.

"Don't know?" Dean's temper starts to rise. Never a good thing. "Well, you're supposed to be a psychic, right?"

"Boy, you see me sawin' some bony tramp in half? You think I'm a magician? I may be able to read thoughts and sense energies in a room, but I can't just pull facts out of thin air. Sit, please." Sam smirks at Dean and they sit down. Missouri snaps at Dean, "Boy, you put your foot on my coffee table, I'm 'a whack you with a spoon!"

"I didn't do anything." He defends.

"But you were thinkin' about it." Dean raises his eyebrows. Sam smiles, and Buffy chuckles at their antics. Getting back on track, Sam asks, "So, our dad – when did you first meet him?"

"He came for a reading. A few days after the fire. I just told him what was really out there in the dark. I guess you could say…I drew back the curtains for him."

"What about the fire? Do you know about what killed our mom?"

"A little. Your daddy took me to your house. He was hopin' I could sense the echoes, the fingerprints of this thing."

"And could you?"

"I…" She shakes her head.

"What was it?"

"I don't know. Oh, but it was evil." She says so softly that it is almost impossible to hear.

* * *

Jenny is on the phone in the kitchen while Ritchie jumps around in his playpen as toddlers do. "Look, I feel just awful about the poor man's hand." … "Wait, but how can I be held liable?" … "Yeah, but I can't afford a lawyer." She begins to hear noises from upstairs. "Okay, listen, you just gotta let me call you back." She hangs up. "Ritchie, um, Mommy's gonna be right back, okay?"

"Okay." He replies in his child-like voice. Jenny leaves the room.

"So…you think somethin' is back in that house?" Missouri says.

"Definitely." Comes Sam's positive reply.

"I don't understand."

"What?"

"I haven't been back inside, but I've been keepin' an eye on the place, and it's been quiet. No sudden deaths, no freak accidents. Why is it actin' up now?"

"I don't know. But Dad going missing and Jessica dying and now this house all happening at once – it just feels like something's starting."

"That's a comforting thought." Dean says sarcastically, Buffy only groans and both the bad joke and the upcoming doom.

* * *

While Ritchie is alone in the kitchen, one of the screws on his playpen mysteriously comes out of place. One of the playpen's sides falls to the floor. At the same time, the safety latch on the door of the refrigerator comes undone. The refrigerator opens. Curious, Ritchie walks over to it. Inside, he sees his sippy cup full of juice. "Juicy." He climbs into the refrigerator and sits on one of the shelves. Suddenly, the refrigerator door closes and the safety latch locks into place. Jenny returns to the kitchen, "Oh, baby, either we have rats or Mommy's going crazy." She sees that the playpen is empty. "Ritchie? Ritchie?!" Panicked, she rushes into the other rooms and tries to find him. "Baby, where are you?!" She comes back into the kitchen, breathing heavily. She sees milk leaking out from inside the refrigerator. She goes over to it and opens the door.

"Mommy." Her child exclaims.

"Oh my God!" She takes Ritchie out of the refrigerator and holds him in her arms. A few moments later, there is a knock on the door. She answers it and sees Buffy, Sam, Dean, and Missouri. "Guys. What are you doing here?"

"Hey, Jenny. This is our friend, Missouri." Sam says, to her.

"If it's not too much trouble, we were hoping to show her the old house. You know, for old time's sake." Dean tries to charm his way into the house but Jenny will have none of it due to her nightmare just minutes ago.

"You know, this isn't a good time. I'm kind of busy." Very serious Dean says, "Listen, Jenny, it's important." Missouri smacks him on the back of the head. "Ow!"

"Give the poor girl a break, can't you see she's upset?" Missouri says. Addresses Jenny she says, "Forgive this boy, he means well, he's just not the sharpest tool in the shed, but hear me out." Dean looks stunned.

"About what?

"About this house."

"What are you talking about?"

"I think you know what I'm talking about. You think there's something in this house, something that wants to hurt your family. Am I mistaken?"

"Who are you?"

"We're people who can help, who can stop this thing. But you're gonna have to trust us, just a little." Jenny looks unsure.

* * *

A few moments later, Missouri, Buffy, and the boys are in Sari's bedroom. "If there's a dark energy around here, this room should be the center of it." Missouri says.

"Why?" Sam asks.

"This used to be your nursery, Sam. This is where it all happened." Sam glances at the ceiling. While Missouri looks around the room, Dean pulls out his EMF meter. "That an EMF?"

"Yeah." Is his curt reply.

"Amateur."

"I know right?" Buffy says. For them detecting the supernatural was easy, it came with the job description. But not for the Winchester family, sadly they were the victims that got caught in the cross fire. Dean glares at them. He nudges Sam and shows him that the EMF is beeping frantically.

"I don't know if you boys should be disappointed or relieved, but this ain't the thing that took your mom."

"Wait, are you sure?" Sam pries. She nods. "How do you know?"

"It isn't the same energy I felt the last time I was here. It's somethin' different."

"What is it?"

"Not it." Buffy opens the closet while saying, "Them. There's more than one spirit in this place. It's like a bunch of sprits are throwing a big shindig…or maybe a hootenanny."

"What are they doing here?" Missouri continues where Buffy left off saying that, "They're here because of what happened to your family. You see, all those years ago, real evil came to you. It walked this house. That kind of evil leaves wounds. And sometimes, wounds get infected."

"I don't understand."

"This place is a magnet for paranormal energy. It's attracted a poltergeist. A nasty one. And it won't rest until Jenny and her babies are dead."

"You said there was more than one spirit."

"There is. I just can't quite make out the second one." When all heads turned to Buffy she nodded no to indicate she didn't know who it was either.

"Well, one thing's for damn sure – nobody's dyin' in this house ever again. So whatever is here, how do we stop it?" Dean says determined.

* * *

Buffy, Dean, Sam, and Missouri are sitting around a table. On the table are different herbs and roots. "So, what is all this stuff, anyway?" Dean asks.

"Van Van oil, crossroad dirt, a few other odds and ends." Missouri answers.

"Angelica root?" Buffy question. Missouri nods and the others stare at her in surprise. "I did tell you my watcher owned a magic shop. Right?"

"No. Anyway, what are we supposed to do with it?" Dean asks.

"We're gonna put them inside the walls in the north, south, east, west corners on each floor of the house." Missouri informs the group.

"We'll be punchin' holes in the dry wall. Jenny's gonna love that." Slyly the older woman says, "She'll live."

"And this'll destroy the spirits?"

"It should. It should purify the house completely. We'll each take a floor. But we work fast. Once the spirits realize what we're up to, things are gonna get bad."

* * *

Missouri is walking Jenny and her kids outside. "Look, I'm not sure I'm comfortable leaving you guys here alone." Jenny says to the person that is practically a stranger. Missouri smiles sweetly and says, "Just take your kids to the movies or somethin', and it'll be over by the time you get back." Jenny, still slightly unsure, leaves with her kids. Missouri goes back inside.

Inside the house, Sam goes into one of the rooms with a hammer. He kneels down by the wall and begins using the end of the hammer to hit against the wall. While he is doing this, a plug on the other side of the room takes itself out of the outlet. A lamp begins to move on its own also. The plug snakes its way towards Sam. Downstairs in the kitchen, Dean is punching the wall with a small ax. Behind him, a drawer begins to open on its own. In another room, Buffy is kicking the drywall and quickly stuffing the contents into the hole. From personal experience, she knows how dangerous an unknown spirit can be. She just hopes that the boys aren't that naive and don't dawdle. Knowing Sam was the closest, she runs towards him to try and assist if needed. In the basement, Missouri is looking around. She brings a bag full of herbs to the wall. She hears a noise and turns around to see a table coming towards her. She screams as it pins her against the wall. Back in the kitchen, Dean also hears a noise. He quickly ducks just as a knife hurls itself into a cabinet. Dean places a table in front of himself as more knives come through it. Upstairs, Sam is chopping a hole in the wall. The lamp crashes to the ground. Sam turns around to see what the noise was, and the cord wraps itself around his neck. Sam falls to the ground, trying to get the cord off. Eventually, he lays weak on the floor. Buffy runs into the room and moments later Dean does too.

"Sam!" He exclaims. Dean rushes over to Sam and tries to help Buffy get the cord off, but it won't budge. Instead, Dean kicks a hole in the wall and places the bag of herbs inside. A blinding white light leaves the room. Once the spirit is gone, Dean goes back over to Sam, who is completely weak. Dean and Buffy unravel the cord from around Sam's neck. Relieved, the three partake in a fierce hug.

* * *

A few hours later, Dean, Sam, and Missouri are standing in the extremely messy kitchen.

"You sure this is over?" Sam asks, noticing the way Buffy kept her eyes peeled meant she thought something was wrong with the house as well.

"I'm sure. Why? Why do you ask?" Missouri says.

"Never mind." He sighs. "It's nothin', I guess." They hear Jenny enter the house.

"Hello? We're home." She comes into the kitchen and looks around. "What happened?"

"Hi, sorry. Um, we'll pay for all of this." Dean looks confused, he earned that money. He had to hustle how many people for that and Sam wanted to give it away.

"Don't you worry. Dean's gonna clean up this mess." Missouri says to calm the girl's nerves. Dean stands there, not moving. "Well, what are you waiting for, boy? Get the mop." He begins walking away. "And don't cuss at me!" Dean walks away, muttering under his breath. A little while later, Missouri, Buffy, and the boys leave the house. Jenny waves and shuts the door behind them.

* * *

Later that night, Jenny is in bed, reading a magazine. She yawns and puts the tabloid on her bedside table. After turning off the light and sliding underneath the covers, she goes to sleep. A few seconds later, she opens her eyes, startled. The bed begins to shake violently. She screams and gets out of bed. Meanwhile, outside, Dean, Buffy, and Sam are sitting in the car.

"All right, so, tell me again, what are we still doin' here?" Dean asks the other two.

"I - we still have a bad feeling." Buffy says.

"Why? Missouri did her whole Zelda Rubenstein thing, the house should be clean, it should be over."

"Yeah, well, probably. But we wanna make sure, that's all." Sam counters.

"Yeah, well, problem is I could be sleeping in a bed right now." He slides down in his seat and closes his eyes. Sam and Buffy look up at Jenny's bedroom window and see her screaming, just like their dream.

"Dean. Look, Dean!" Sam hollers. They rush out of the car and run towards the house.

"You guys grab the kids, I'll get Jenny." Dean instructs.

* * *

Inside Sari's bedroom, the figure made out of fire is standing by her closet. In the hallway, Dean rushes to Jenny's bedroom door. "Jenny!" he yells through the solid oak.

"I can't open the door!" She cries back.

"Stand back!" She moves back. Dean kicks down the door and brings her downstairs.

"No, my kids!"

"Sam's got your kids, come on." He assures.

* * *

Buffy is carrying Ritchie in her arms while she and Sam goes to Sari's bedroom, where she is screaming for help. Sam goes to Sari's bed and picks her up in his other arm. "Don't look. Don't look!" He chastises. They leave the bedroom. Outside, Dean and Jenny rush out of the house. Inside the house, Sam and Buffy rush down the stairs and puts the kids down on the floor having already discussed what they were going to do as the waked through the hallway. "All right, Sari, take your brother outside as fast as you can, and don't look back." Sam says, unknowingly echoing his father's words from over 20 years ago. Suddenly, an invisible force makes Sam and Buffy fall to the floor. They slides backwards into another room, both crashing into a table. Sari screams and runs outside with Ritchie. They rush outside to Dean and Jenny. Dean kneels down to Sari's eye level and asks, "Sari, where's Sam and Buffy?" Crying, she answers, "They're inside. Something's got them." Panicked, Dean looks at the front door. It slams shut on its own, and the people he care for are trapped inside.

* * *

Dean opens the trunk of the Impala and grabs a rifle and an ax. He rushes to the front door and begins chopping away at it. Inside the kitchen, Sam gets flung into a set of cabinets and Buffy gets smacked into a wall. He stands up and is pinned against the wall by the invisible force next Buffy. They can't move any part of their body, almost like a snake squeezing its prey into submission. The fire figure makes its way towards Sam. Dean continues chopping down parts of the door. Eventually, he makes a hole that he is able to step through. He walks through the house, looking for the both. "Sam? Buffy!" He shouts. He finds them and as he looks at the fire figure, he raises his gun.

"No, don't! Don't!" Sam bellows

"What, why?!"

"Because I know who it is. I can see her now." Suddenly, the fire vanishes. Instead, standing in front of them is Mary Winchester, exactly as she was the night she died. Dean's expression softens. In shock, he lowers his gun slowly. "Mom?" He says slowly. Mary smiles and steps closer to him. "Dean." She says. Tears form in Dean's eyes. Mary walks away from him and goes to Sam. Dean watches her, never taking his eyes off her. "Sam." Sam smiles weakly, crying. His mother's smile fades. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Sam asks. She looks at him sadly, but says nothing. She walks a few steeps to, "Buffy." Buffy looks surprised, well who wouldn't be? Her deceased friend's mother who she never met is wanting to speak to her? Yeah not weird at all. "You have to take care of each other." And with that, she walks away from them and looks up at the ceiling. "You get out of my house. And let go of my son." Once again, she bursts into flames. When she is entirely engulfed, the fire reaches the ceiling and disappears. The force holding Sam and Buffy to the wall is released. They walk over to Dean, and the three of them look at each other, dumbfounded.

"Now it's over." She says.

* * *

The next morning, Dean is standing by the car with Jenny, looking through old photos.

"Thanks for these." He says honestly.

"Don't thank me, they're yours." Dean puts the trunk of photos into the car. Sitting on the front steps of the house, Sam and Buffy are joined by Missouri.

"Well, there are no spirits in there anymore, this time for sure." She says

"Not even my mom?" Sam asks unsure if he wanted the answer to be yes or no.

"No."

"What happened?"

"Your mom's spirit and the poltergeist's energy, they cancelled each other out. Your mom destroyed herself goin' after the thing."

"Why would she do something like that?" He couldn't believe it. Why would she do that for him?

"Well, to protect her boys, of course." Sam nods, with tears in his eyes. Missouri goes to put her hand on his shoulder, but she stops herself. "Sam, I'm sorry." Seeing what Missouri was going to do, Buffy places her own hand on Sam's shoulder, giving him the little comfort she could.

"For what?"

"You sensed it was here, didn't you? Even when I couldn't. Buffy could because it her job, but you did too."

"What's happening to me?" That question was filled with so much anguish that she wished she could help further.

"I know I should have all the answers, but I don't know."

"Sam, Buffy, you ready?" They nod and go to the car. Jenny thanks all of them one final time.

"Don't you guys be strangers." Missouri hollers.

"We won't." Buffy says cheerily.

"See you around." Jenny waves. They smile, get in the car, and drive away.

* * *

Missouri comes inside and sets her purse on the table. "That boy…he has such powerful abilities. But why he couldn't sense his own father, I have no idea." Over on her couch, John Winchester sits, a sad expression on his face.

"Mary's spirit – do you really think she saved the boys and that girl, the Slayer?"

"I do." John nods gloomily and twists his wedding ring on his finger. "John Winchester, I could just slap you. Why won't you go talk to your children?"

"I want to." He says almost tearfully. "You have no idea how much I wanna see 'em. But I can't. Not yet. Not until I know the truth."

* * *

Back in the Impala, Buffy is laughing along to a joke Sam has said while Dean is singing along with a song. She stops giggling to hear Dean who says, "Come on. I know you guys know the words." Sam shrugs and joins in on the chorus. "Come on Buff!" And that's when it hits her. It doesn't matter where she came from or who's bloodline shes in, they were family. Throwing away her concerns for the next day, she joins in and sings along as the drive down the highway and into a new adventure. Maybe this still was heaven, she was happy, she was loved, and she was home, and nobody was going to take that away from her.

**To Be Continued… **


	7. Chapter 7: Asylum

**The End or the Beginning?**

**Chapter 7: Asylum **

**I saw a few stories resembling this and wanted to take a stab at it. I heard it was originally a challenge but I'm not sure so…. Anyway….. Also in my story Buffy died in 2004/2005 so it's the start of Supernatural's season 1.**

**Sam and Dean find Buffy after she rises from her grave and things take off from there. A Buffy and Sam friendship and eventually Buffy/Dean**

* * *

"_What if I never left? What if I'm still in that clinic?" Buffy Summers, Normal Again, Season 6 _

**ROOSEVELT ASYLUM. ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.**

In a deserted building, graffiti has been drawn on the walls and trash litters the floor. A flashlight moves along the walls and comes to land on a chain across a door, broken. A police car pulls up from which two cops emerge from. They walk up to chain link fence surrounding the building.

"Can't keep kids out of this place." Complains one officer.

"What is it, anyway?"

"I forgot!" He exclaims, "You're not a local. You don't know the legend."

"Legend?" Questions the newbie.

"Every town's got its stories, right? Ours is Roosevelt Asylum. They say it's haunted with the ghosts of the patients. Spend the night, the spirits will drive you insane."

The cops enter the building with flashlights "Hello? Police Officers...Police Officers!" Hollers one man. They see the broken chain on the floor. "You tell'n me these kids brought bolt-cutters? C'mon. Let's split up."

"Right…" The policeman agrees. After they part ways, the second cop (now alone) calls out into the hallway "Hello? Hello?"

* * *

The first cop wanders into another room. His expression changes from worried to annoyed as he tells three kids sitting in the dark. "Alright, c'mon out."

The other second cop's flashlight goes out, he shakes it, hoping to get some type of reaction. A door creaks open, he slowly turns to look at the door.

A few minutes later, the older cop watches a car drive off then reaches for his radio. "Kelly, you copy?" He calls through the device. The other cop, Kelly appears suddenly behind him. "Jeeze! Where the hell you been?"

"In there…" He says in a daze.

"What was it? See anything?"

"Huh. No." They return to police car.

Kelly's partner says into the car's radio, "This is patrol 1.4 we are clear and returning to station." "Roger." Kelly's nose starts to bleed. He wipes it slowly.

* * *

Hours later, after his shift is done, officer Kelly enters his bedroom, and sees a woman reading in bed. "Hey." She says with a smile once she sees him come in. Ignoring her, Kelly begins lining up his gun, keys, and other objects on a chest of drawers. "So, what? You're still not talking to me? Walt! I said I was sorry about before, how many times do I have to say it?" She asks, misinterpreting his reason for being distraught. Still paying no attention to her he picks up the gun. A gun goes off. A brief hiatus in activity, then another gunshot.

* * *

Sam is on phone in his shared motel room "No, Dad was in California last we heard from him. We just thought...he comes to you for 'munitions...maybe you've seen him in the last few weeks. Just, call us if you hear anything." Sam pleads.

"Kay" Comes the reply.

"Thanks." Sam says defeated.

"You bet." Sam hangs up the phone.

"Caleb hasn't heard from him?" Dean asks from his place on the motel room bed.

"Nope. And neither has Jefferson or Pastor Jim. What about the journal? Anything leads in there?"

"No, same as last time Buff and I looked, nothing we can make out... I love the Guy, but I swear, he writes like friggin' Yoda."

"Speaking of her, she still on patrol?" Off Dean's nod Sam adds, "And you didn't go with her? Dude, you've been following her like a lost puppy recently." Sam jokes but it has an underlying spurt of truth. He noticed Dean's wandering eyes, his lack of interest in other girls, and how he was practically joined at Buffy's hip. Not that he would bring it up (yet) but he believes that Dean's feeling towards toward the blonde beauty where more than friendly, especially since Kansas. Moving on after seeing his brother's uncomfortable expression Sam says, "You know, maybe we should call the Feds. File a missing persons."

"We've talked about this. Dad'd be pissed if we put the Feds on his tail."

"I don't care anymore." A cellphone rings causing Dean to cross the room. "After all that happened back in Kansas, I mean...he should've been there Dean, you said so yourself, you tried to call him and...nothing."

"I know!" He rummages through his duffel "Where the hell is my cellphone?

"Y'know. He could be dead for all we know."

"Don't say that! He's not dead! He's - he's…"

"He's what? He's hiding? He's busy?" Dean finds and flicks opens the cellphone it reads:

**From: Unavailable **

**42, -89**

**Sent At 9:52**

**BACK REPLY**

"Huh. I don't believe it." Dean says quietly.

"What?"

"It's uh...It's a text message. It's coordinates. I'll call Buff." Sam acknowledged but didn't say aloud that Dean's first reaction was to call Buffy. His theory was starting to seem more and more like a fact.

* * *

Later, Dean is typing on a laptop when Buffy enters the motel room. Seeing the cut above her eye, Dean puts the laptop down and walks over to her. "You okay?" He asks still examining her injury. Looking a little flustered, Buffy sheds her coat, and says, "Oh this" She points to her head, "just your average run of the mill vamp. Nothing me and Mr. Pointy couldn't handle. Anyway it's closed." she says while shaking off his concern. To be honest, she was loving all the extra attention from Dean but he was sort of acting like an overprotective boyfriend, which he sadly was not. Unconvinced, Dean makes his way back to the bed and returns to the laptop. "So what's the what?" Buffy chirpily asks while sitting down on a chair next to Sam.

"We think our Dad was texting us but I'm not sure." Sam answers.

"He's given us co-ordinates before." Dean chimes in.

"The man can barely work a toaster, Dean." Sam counters.

"Sam, it's good news! It means he's ok, or alive at least."

"Was there a number on the caller ID?" Buffy asks Dean.

"Nah, it said 'unknown'."

"Well where do the coordinates point?"

"That's the interesting part. Rockford, Illinois."

"Ok, and that's interesting how? Last I checked, nobody here had any futuristic-y visions."

"I checked the local Rockford paper. Take a look at this." Dean hands the laptop to Sam who places in between himself and Buffy. "This cop, Walter Kelly, comes home from his shift, shoots his wife, then puts the gun in his mouth, blows his brains out. And earlier that night, Kelly and his partner responded to a call at the Roosevelt Asylum."

"Ok, I'm not following. What has this have to do with us?" Sam inquires.

"Dad earmarked the same asylum in the journal. Lets see…" Dean flips through the worn out journal until he finds the correct page. "Here. Seven unconfirmed sightings, two deaths - til last week at least - I think this is where he wants us to go." Sam snorts in disbelief. "This is a job... Dad wants us to work a job."

"Well maybe we'll meet up with him? Maybe he's there?"

"Maybe he's not? I mean, he could be sending us there, by ourselves, to hunt this thing."

"Who cares!" Dean interjects. "If he wants us there, it's good enough for me!"

"This doesn't strike you as weird? The texting? The coordinates?"

"Sam! Dad's tellin' us to go somewhere, we're goin'." Giving Dean his best bitch-face, Sam gives in and sighs. "Next stop, Rockford, Illinois."

* * *

Kelly's partner sits down at a bar, where he is approached by Dean and Sam. "You're Daniel Gunderson. You're a cop, right?" Dean says.

"Yeah." He replies.

"Huh. I'm uh, Nigel Tufnel and this is my associate. We're with The Chicago Tribune. Mind if we ask you a couple of questions, about your partner?" Sam says next to Dean.

"Yeah, I do. I'm just tryin' to have a beer here." Is his gruff answer.

"That's ok, we swear it won't take that long. We just want to get the story in your words."

"A week ago, my partner was sitting in that chair." Daniel points to an empty chair next to him. "Now he's dead. You gonna ambush me here?"

"Sorry. But we need to know what happened." Sam say remorsefully. Buffy comes out of what seems like nowhere and pushes Dean and Sam aside roughly.

"Hey buddy, why don't you leave the poor Guy alone! The man's an officer! Why doncha show a little respect!" Buffy says angrily. The boys pause, stare, then walks off.

"You didn't havta do that." The cop says with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, course I did. Those guys were total jerks. Let me buy you a beer, huh?" She looks at barman "Two?" Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Daniel accepts the beautiful girl's offer. "May I?" Buffy points to the seat next to him. With a short nod as her response, she sits down next to the man.

"Thanks."

* * *

A little while later, Buffy walks out of the bar. She comes up to the Impala and sees Dean and Sam sitting on the hood. "Shoved us kinda hard in there." Sam remarks.

"I had to sell it, didn't I? It's method acting." She smirks at the boys.

"Huh?" Dean says pulling his mind out of a Buffy induced, Slayer strength fantasy.

"Never mind." She says with an exasperating sigh.

"What'd you find out from Gunderson?"

"So, Walter Kelly was a good cop. Head of his class, he had a bright future ahead of him."

"What about at home?"

"He and his wife had a few fights, like everybody, but he was mostly smooth sailing on boat de love. They were even talking about having kids.

"Alright, so either Kelly had some deep-seated crazy waiting to bust out, or something else did it to him."

"Right."

"What'd Gunderson tell you about the asylum?" Taking a deep breath that wasn't lost on either brother, Buffy mutters, "A lot."

* * *

Sam, Dean, and Buffy come to stand by a chain linked fence near the asylum. Seeing that the boys are about to start climbing the fence, Buffy gracefully leaps over the tall chain linked fence, flips in mid-air, and lands on her feet. Turing around she can see the boys are a little upset and a little amazed on how she made her way over the barricade. "Show off. You know some of us have to do this the old-fashioned way." Dean grumbles, but the small smile tugging at the corner of his lips proves he is somewhat impressed.

* * *

"So apparently the cops chased the kids here...into the south wing." Sam indicates a sign over one door once the three are inside. "Hey Buff, you okay?" He asks once he notices the paleness on her face.

"Me? Oh yeah. Why wouldn't I be?" Buffy forces a nervous laugh.

"You sure Blondie?" Once Buffy nods Dean continues, "South wing huh? Wait a second" He pulls out John's journal from his back pocket and flips through it. "1972. Three kids broke into the south wing, only one survived. Way he tells it, one of his friends went nuts and started lighting up the place."

"So whatever's going on, the south wing is the heart of it." Sam concludes.

"But if the kids are spelunking the asylum, why aren't there a ton more deaths?" Sam looks around an sees the broken chains, "Looks like the doors are usually chained. Could've been chained up for years."

"Yeah to keep people out. Or to keep something in." The three look at each other with a look of dread, then move down the hallway.

"Let me know if you see any dead people Haley Joel." Dean directs toward Sam.

"Dude, enough." Sam responds, irritated.

"I'm serious. You gotta be careful, all right? And this means you too Buffy. Ghosts are attracted to that whole ESP thing you guys got going on."

"I told you, it's not ESP! I just have strange vibes sometimes. Weird dreams." Sam defends but Buffy remains silent. She was meant to have these powers, he wasn't; Sam may not want to hear it, but he may not be as normal as he thinks.

"Yeah, whatever. Don't ask, don't tell."

"You get any reading on that thing or not."

"Nope. Of course it doesn't mean no one's home. "

"Spirits can't appear during certain hours of the day." Buffy informs.

"Yeah, the freaks come out at night."

"Yeah."

"Hey Sam," Dean deadpans, " who do you think is the hotter psychic, Patricia Arquette, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Buffy or you." Sam pushes Dean, who laughs. The three walk into another room. The guys look around. Once getting a more detailed look Dean whistles then says, "Man. Electro-shock. Lobotomies. They did some twisted stuff to these people. Kinda like my man Jack in Cuckoo's Nest" He then makes crazy eyes and grins at Buffy. She smiles back, her jitters cured for the moment until Sam clears his throat indicating that they should stop goofing around. Dean drops his smile along with Buffy as they continue their search. "So. Whaddaya think? Ghosts possessing people?"

"Maybe. Or maybe it's more like Amityville, or the Smurl hunting." Sam responds.

"Spirits making them coco for cocoa puffs. You know, driving them insane." Buffy suggests.

"Kinda like my man Jack in The Shining" Dean grins at his own joke.

"Dean." Sam chastises. Dean looks at him, "When are we going to talk about it?"

"Talk about what?"

"About the fact dad's not here."

"I'm just gonna go investigate… this lamp." Buffy finishes lamely, but is not heard by the brothers who continue to bicker.

"Oh. I see. How bout...never." Dean huffs.

"I'm being serious man. He sent us here…"

"So am I Sam. Look, he sent us here, he obviously wants us here. We'll pick up the search later."

"It doesn't matter what he wants." Sam says with added attitude which Dean picks up on.

"See. That attitude? Right there? That is why I always get the extra cookie."

"Dad could be in trouble, we should be looking for him. We deserve some answers Dean, I mean, this is our family we're talking about."

"I understand that Sam. but he's given us an order. "

"So what, we gotta always follow dad's orders?"

"Of course we do." Sam gives Dean a frustrated face. Dean stares at him then turns away, ending the conversation. Dean continues poking around and soon picks up a sign. "'Sandford Ellicott'...You know what we gotta do. We gotta find out more about the south wing. See if something happened here." Dean walks away, leaving the sign with Sam, who stares down at it with another one of his bitch-faces.

* * *

Back in the Impala, Buffy, Sam , and Dean discuss their findings. "So, um Buff, were you're 'spidey senses' going haywire?" Dean asks as they drive past a building on their way to Dr. Ellicott's son's clinic.

"No. Why?"

"'Cause you were really quiet and pale. You okay?"

"No, not really." The cheeriness died from her voice as she answered Dean's question.

"Why?" Sam asks, concerned.

"I don't wanna drop my problems on you more than I already have." Shutting off the music blasting from the radio, Sam turns to look at Buffy. Seeing that she wasn't going to get out of this conversation she takes a deep breath before speaking, not ready to hear their judging voices. "Back when I saw my first vampires... I got so scared. I told my parents about it. And they freaked out. Figured there was something seriously wrong with me. They sent me to a clinic." Both boys listen bewildered.

"You never said anything." Dean says softly.

"I never told anyone. I was only there a couple of weeks. I stopped talking about it so they let me go. And eventually, my parents just...forgot." Buffy wipes a tear from her eye.

"God, that's horrible." Sam breathes.

"I guess just seeing a place like that gave me the wiggins." After a beat of silence Buffy says, "Hey look were here." She quickly gets out of the car that felt like it was suffocating her with the tense silence. "I'm gonna just.. Umm wait for you." The brothers share a look, a silent choice made. Sam enters the building while Dean hangs back, waiting to talk to Buffy alone.

* * *

Sam sits on a couch flicking through a magazine. A middle-aged man comes to the open door. The sign on the door reads 'DR James Ellicott, Clinical Psychiatry'. "Sam Winchester?" The older man asks.

"That's me." Sam confirms.

"Come on in." They move into the inner room.

"Thanks again for seeing me last-minute." Looking around the room Sam fakes uncertainty. "Dr...Ellicott. Ellicott, that name. Wasn't there a...a Dr. Sandford Ellicott? Yeah, he was a chief psychiatrist somewhere."

Surprised, he answers "My father was chief of staff at the old Roosevelt Asylum. How did you know?"

"Ah. Well, I'm sorta...a local history buff. Hey, wasn't there, an incident or something? In the hospital I guess. In the south wing, right?"

"We're on your dollar Sam. We're here to talk about you." The doctor reminds.

"Oh, ok. Yeah, yeah. Sure."

"So. How's things."

"Ah, things are good."

"Good. whatcha been doing."

"Ahh. Same old. I just been on a road trip with my brother."

"Was that fun?" He inquires.

Taking a longer pause than deemed necessary Sam finally says, "Loads. Umm. You know, we..ahh..we...met...a lot of ..interesting people. Even had one join the trip. Did a lot of ...ah...interesting things...ahhh. You know? What was it exactly that happened in the south wing. I forget.."

"Look, if you're a local history buff, you know all about the Roosevelt riot."

"The riot. Well, no. I know. I'm just curious."

"Sam. Let's cut the bull shall we. You're avoiding the subject."

"What subject?"

"You. Now I'll make you a deal. I'll tell you all about the Roosevelt riot, if you tell me something honest about yourself. Like uh, this brother you're road tripping with. How do you feel about him?" Sam looks a little freaked out, not at all ready to discuss his feeling for his troublesome brother.

* * *

Meanwhile, Buffy and Dean are leaning against the glass windows next to the door, talking about her revelation. "You know sometime I still think I'm crazy." Buffy gives a short chuckle then looks down at her feet.

"You're not crazy." Dean replies firmly, which causes Buffy to look at him head on.

"Yeah 'cause what's more real? A sick girl or some type of. . . super girl. Chosen to fight demons and save the world?" She smiles distantly, "That's ridiculous."

"Hey think of it this way. I could see why you would make me up, I mean have you seen me?" He gives Buffy a small grin which in turn makes her smile. "But why the hell would you make up Sam? I mean you already got me, you don't need a sasquatch hangin' around." He jokes. The light returns in her eyes and he can't help but feel proud that he induces her into a fit of giggles. Soon boredom over takes them as they wait for Sam to return except now a smile is plastered onto the blonde's face and a smirk of triumph on her companion's. Minutes pass until finally Sam walks past the two, who catch up and match his pace.

"Dude! You were in there forever. What the hell were you talking about?" Dean asks.

"Just the hospital you know." Sam responds.

"And...?" Buffy poses.

"And the south wing? It's where the housed the really hard cases. The psychotics, the criminally insane."

"Sounds cozy." She deadpans.

"Yeah. And one night in '64, they rioted. Attacked staff. Attacked each other."

"So the patients took over the asylum?" Dean asks.

"Apparently."

"Any deaths?"

"Some patients, some staff. I guess it was pretty gory, some of the bodies were never even recovered. Including our chief of staff, Ellicott."

"Whaddaya mean never recovered?"

"Cops scoured every inch of the place but I guess the patient's must've...stuffed the bodies somewhere hidden."

"That's grim."

"Yeah. So, they transferred all the remaining patients and closed the hospital down."

"So, to sum it up, we've got a bunch of violent deaths and a bunch of un-recovered bodies."

"Which equals lots of angry spirits." Buffy supplies.

"Good times. Let's check out the hospital tonight."

* * *

Torchlight approaches behind a door of the asylum. The door slowly creaks open. A young man and woman, university aged, enter.

"Check this out! Creepy. Yet terrifying." The guy calls.

"I thought we were going to a movie" The girl replies nervously.

"This is better, it's like we're in a movie."

"I can't believe you call this a date." She finishes with a huff.

"C'mon, it'll be fun. Let's look around. C'mon!" He urges. They move further along. The man suddenly jumps and swings around, "What's that!?" he asks pointing behind her. The girl swings around and seeing an opportune moment, the guy pokes her. She jumps, upset that he would do something like that to her she then hits him. He laughs. "Hey look. C'mon, let's check it out."

"I...don't want to. Let's just go." She says uncertainly. A flash of a scary movie passes through her head. The audience always tells the girl not to go the abandoned house, or closet, or… haunted asylum.

"C'mon!" He encourages. They stare at each other. "OK. Okay, you can wait here."

"Gavin. wai...Gavin. No." She pleas.

"I'm just gonna be a minute. Nothing's gonna get ya, I promise." Gavin says. Gavin moves into the next room alone. The door slams behind him. He looks at it, grins, and keeps going. In the doorway a female figure with long hair stands in the shadows just as Gavin's flashlight fails. He shakes it. "Damn it." He turns around and sees the female, believing it was his girlfriend he says, "Hey Sweetie. Couldn't take it huh?" The female comes closer and puts her hands on either sides of his face. They start having some major smoochies. Suddenly, he hears a faint voice pulling him away from his 'activities' that sounds a lot like Kat. But Kat wasn't anywhere else, she was here… Right? He slowly pulls back and soon terror fills him to the core of his being.

* * *

Back by the entrance, Sam pushes open the door, Dean and Buffy beside him. Sam is holding a video camera and a flashlight, Buffy a pistol tucked into the waist of her jeans, and Dean an EMF meter and a bag filled with weapons.

"Getting readings?" Sam asks.

"Yeah, big time." Dean replies over the hum of the EMF meter.

"Oogly booglies are a go." Buffy adds.

Sam looks into his camera, noticing the images in his device he alerts the group that, "This place is orbing like crazy."

"Probably multiple spirits out and about."

"And if these uncovered bodies are causing the haunting…" Sam let's the thought hang only for Dean to speak up.

"We gotta find em and burn em. Just be careful though. The only thing that makes me more nervous than a pissed off spirit... is the pissed off spirit of a psycho killer." They keep walking, never seeing a crazed looking bald man strapped into a straight jacket in the corner.

Buffy, Sam, and Dean keep looking and soon move into separate rooms, the pairing Buffy and Sam while Dean remains on his own. After a minute Sam see's an old woman through the video lens; white-haired, one eye bloody and hanging out, moving toward himself and the honey-blonde. Buffy tenses, suspecting another entity in the room, she reaches for her gun, but hearing the door open she stops. She was to focused to even hear Sam's calls for his brother. Sam, who was closer to the ghost was told to get down by Dean. Pulling herself out of her trance, she lifts up her gun in sync with Dean. The small boom indicates that both hunter and Slayer shot one round each at the spirit, one in the chest another in the head. The 'woman' disintegrates into smoke. They all look around, gasping until Sam says, "That was weird."

"Yeah. You're telling me. This makes me miss Sunnydale. The demons were just a pain in the ass, not psychotic." Buffy huffs. Dean starts moving out of the room. Sam and Buffy follow.

"No, Buffy, I mean it was weird that she didn't attack me." Sam further explains.

"Looked pretty agro from where I was standing." Dean grumbles.

"She didn't hurt me. She didn't even try! So if she didn't wanna hurt me then what did she want?" A noise comes from a room they are passing. Dean and Buffy immediately raise their guns and Sam flicks on the torch and shines it into the area. They approach a metal bed covered in a ragged sheet, on its side. They see the top of a blonde head behind it. They brace themselves for the worst. Sam reaches and tips the bed over. The girl from earlier is crouched facing the corner. She spins around, terrified and gasping.

"It's alright, we're not going to hurt you. It's ok. What's your name?" Buffy says soothingly, and slowly tucks her gun away.

"Katherine. Kat." She whispers, obviously terrified.

"Ok. I'm Buffy, this is Sam and Dean."

"What are you doing here!?" Sam demands, but strangely his voice stays neutral.

"Um. My boyfriend, Gavin."

"Is he here?" Dean cuts in.

"Somewhere. He thought it would be fun, try to see some ghosts. I thought it was all just...you know. Pretend. I've seen things. I heard Gavin scream and…"

"Alright. Kat? Come on. Sam's gunna get you out of here and then we're gunna find your boyfriend."

"No! No. I'm not going to leave without Gavin. I'm coming with you."

"It's no joke around here ok. It's dangerous."

"That's why I gotta find him." They three look at each other, another common occurrence. Sam shrugs.

"Alright, I guess we gunna split up then. Let's go."

* * *

Sam is wandering around with Buffy while Dean is with Kat.

"Gavin... Gavin?" They call but unfortunately get no response.

* * *

On the other side of the asylum, Kat is mirroring Buffy and Sam's actions by calling out for her boyfriend. "Gavin... Gavin?"

"I got a question for ya." Dean interrupts, "You've seen a lot of horror movies yeah?"

"I guess so." She says after a thought.

Dean turns to face her, "Do me a favor. Next time you see one? Pay attention. When someone says a place is haunted...don't go in!"

* * *

Sam stumbles upon Gavin. He signalizes Buffy to him and the unconscious body. Once she walks up she see's Gavin on the ground, unconscious and crouches to shake him. Gavin wakes and freaks out, "Hey Gavin. It's ok, We're here to help." She reassures.

"Who are you?" He asks groggily.

"My name is Sam and that's Buffy. uh. We found your girlfriend." The man answers.

"Kat?" The three get up, "Is she alright?"

"Yeah. She's worried about you. Are you ok?"

"I was running. I think I fell."

"You were running from what?"

"There was...there was this girl. Her face. It was all messed up."

"Ok listen, did this girl, did she try to hurt you?"

"What? No, she..uh…" Gavin doesn't meet their eyes, to uncomfortable to discuss said topic. But alas it is unavoidable and he is even more certain once he hears the blonde ask, "She what?" Barley suppressing a shudder he answers, "She...kissed me."

"Uh...um...but...but she didn't hurt you, physically?" Buffy asks once again.

"Dude! She kissed me. I'm scarred for life!"

"Well, trust me, it could have been worse, like this one time, my friend Xander started to make out with this bug-lady. And he didn't know it until she tried to eat him after-" Once seeing the looks on the boys' faces, she stops. "I'm not helping am I?" Clearing her throat, she asks another question, avoiding Sam curious gaze. "Now do you remember anything else?"

"She uh.. actually, she tried to whisper something in my ear."

"What?" Sam persuades.

"I don't know, I ran like hell."

* * *

Dean and Kat are in another hallway with Dean leading the way. The flashlight fades. Dean, shaking the flashlight, curses, "You son of a bitch." Reaching into his pocket he sighs in relief as he feels the object he was hoping for. "It's all right, I got a lighter." Kat turns to look behind them.

"Ow. You're hurting my arm." She informs him.

"What are you talking about?" He asks, puzzlement written on his features. They turn to look at each other, realize they're too far apart to be touching, they look down. A gory, disembodied hand is clutching Kat's arm. Kat is dragged into a room, the metal door slamming behind her. Dean races to it and struggles to pull it open, Kat bangs on it from the inside but it doesn't budge. Dean continues to struggle with the door.

"Lemme out! Please!" She pleads.

"Kat! Hang on!" Dean smashes at the door with a metal pipe, then tries to jimmy it open. Inside, Kat slowly backs up, looking at the door. Someone stands behind her, breathing heavily. When Kat spins around there is no one there. Dean continues banging on the door. She turns again and sees the ghost. Tall, heavyset, long dark oily hair, his face a bloody mess. Kat screams and backs up to the door...and backs into him. She screams again. Buffy is running down the hall to Dean, followed by Sam and Gavin. "What's going on?" Buffy asks/demands.

"She's inside with one of them." Kat's screams are heard by the others.

"Kat!" Yells her boyfriend. Kat slides down against the door as the ghost approaches her once again. "Get me outta here!"

"Kat, it's not going to hurt you. Listen to me. You've got to face it, you've got to calm down." Buffy instructs. Dean turns to Buffy, astonished and says, "She's gotta what!"

"I have to what!?" Kat yells.

"These spirits, they're not trying to hurt us, they're trying to communicate. You gotta face it. You gotta listen to it." Sam says trying to come to the Slayer's aid.

"You face it!" Comes Kat's terrified reply.

"No! It's the only way to get out of there."

"No!"

"Look at it, come on. You can do it." Kat, taking deep breaths, turns to face the ghost. He leans in close to her face.

"Kat?" Gavin says after a few moments of silence.

"Man, I hope you guys are right about this." Dean hisses to the two who came up with the plan.

"Yeah, me too." Sam says glumly.

"Trust me." Two sets of eyes turn to Buffy. "We are." Is her confident response. She was right about this. There are a few thing you can say about the Winchester's and unfortunately open-minded wasn't one of the best words to use. They have heard her stories of the 'good' vampires, the helpful witch, and the once ex-vengeance demon that had at one time been apart of her life, they were skeptical but let it slide. They saw demon as shades of black and white which was not always the way the demonic world works. She would teach him this lesson when the time came but for now they had work to do. They wait outside the door in tense silence, except Buffy, who is the only relaxed looking person. The lock clicks and the door slowly opens. Kat is standing in the doorway.

"Oh, Kat." Gavin says, then pulls her into a fierce bear hug. Sam goes inside to check out the room. He comes back out, shaking his head at Dean and Buffy. Pulling back from Gavin Kat softly says, "One thirty-seven."

"Sorry?" Buffy utters.

"It whispered in my ear. 137"

"Room number." Buffy, Sam, and Dean say in harmony.

"That was weird." Gavin says but it goes unnoticed by the others as the three hunters/Slayer crouch against the wall where they can't be heard.

"Alright. So if these spirits aren't trying to hurt anyone…" Sam starts.

"Then what are they trying to do? Buffy, you're the Slayer, what's goin' on?" Dean questions.

"I guess we'll find out."

"Wow, that was helpful." Dean says sarcastically.

"They aren't gonna hurt us as long as we don't go guns ablazin' again. Okay?" With a slight nod Dean gets up and say to Gavin and Kat, "So, now, are you guys ready to leave this place?"

"That's an understatement." Kat quips.

"Ok." Turning to Sam, "You get them outta here. Buff and I are going to go find room 137."

* * *

Sam leads Kat and Gavin down a dirty hallway. Trying to start a conversation, Kat says, "So. How do you guys know about all this ghost stuff?"

"It's kinda our job." Is Sam's curt reply.

"Why would anyone want a job like that."

"I had a crappy guidance counselor." He says with a small chuckle.

"And Dean? He's your boss?" Sam looks down at her, "No."

"Buffy? She's the boss of all of you?"

"N-" He stops. If the Slayer heard him say that…"Depends what mood she's in."

* * *

Dean and Buffy move down a hallway, he shines his torch on room 137. He pushes against the door, but it doesn't budge. Using her Slayer strength, Buffy takes over the situation and kicks open the door. The broken furniture that blocked the door originally lay scattered. The room is a mess, filing cabinets pushed over, papers everywhere, the walls stained. He shines the torch around, they flick through some folders laying in a cabinet, and keeps looking.

Sam marches down a hallway and tries the door but it's locked. He tries another one, also locked. "Alright. I think we have a small problem."

"Then break it down." Gavin states.

"I don't think that's gunna work." He says dryly.

"Then a window."

"They're barred." Kat supplies.

"Then how are we supposed to get out?" Gavin says, panicking.

"That's the point. We're not. There's something in here. It doesn't want us to leave." Sam informs.

"Those patients…" Kat starts.

"No. Something else."

* * *

Dean and Buffy still remain in the process of searching the room. He finds a loose panel and pry's it off, seeing what he's doing Buffy walks up behind him. Behind the panel is a satchel full of papers.

"This is why I get paid the big bucks." He jokes. She chuckles but soon sobers once she sees the horrific drawings in the journal that Dean has found. The book contains hand drawn copies of medical instruments, patients, and experiments on said patients. Dean and Buffy sit on a damaged couch and start reading, looking concerned.

"Well all work and no play makes Dr. Ellicott a very dull boy." Buffy says wittily, eyes never leaving the page. Suddenly a loud bang makes them look up quickly.

* * *

Sam is moving back down a hallway toward Kat and Gavin, "Alright, I've looked everywhere. There's no other way out."

"So what the hell are we gunna do?" Gavin says, panicked…again.

"Well for starters we're not gunna panic."

"Why the hell not!" He says, his voice raising a few decibels. Sam's phone rings and he answers, "Hey." He hears Dean's voice, but sadly it is difficult to understand him.

"Sam, it's Dean… it. It's coming at us."

"Where are you?" Sam asks, worry evident in his tone.

"We're in the basement. Hurry up!"

"I'm on my way." Sam hangs up and looks at the teens. "Alright, can either of you handle a shotgun."

"What? No!" Cries Gavin.

"I can." Kat says shyly. Gavin looks at her in amazement. "My dad took me skeet shooting a coupla times."

"Alright here. It's loaded with rock salt. It may not kill a spirit but it will repel it. So if you see something, shoot." Sam says.

"Ok."

* * *

Sam is now searching through the dingy hallways and rooms, "Dean! Buffy! Guys!" His flashlight flickers and fades, he shakes and taps it. A door behind him swings open with a loud boom. He raises his shot gun and approaches carefully. "Dean?" A shadow moves behind a ragged curtain, drawing his attention. When he pulls the curtain back there's no one there. He turns...and an old beaten up man with ragged hair and clothes grabs his face. His hands start glowing.

"Don't be afraid. I'm going to make you all better." He says calmly. Sadly better was anything but what he was going to turn the situation into.

* * *

While Gavin paces, Kat crouches against the wall holding the shotgun, ready for action. Kat sighs, "Hey Gavin?" He comes to crouch beside her.

"Yeah?"

"If we make it out of here alive...we are so breaking up." Gavin stares at her. They hear a noise around the corner and both rise. Raising the shotgun she asks, "Did you hear that?"

"Something's coming." Dean and Buffy come around the corner and see's Kat just as she pulls the trigger, which is aimed at Dean. He braces himself for impact, but it never comes instead he is…on the floor? Opening his eyes -which were closed 'cause wouldn't you freak if a short girl shot you?- he is surprised to see Buffy lying full body length against him. Her head is nestled in the spot between his neck and shoulder and her arms are on either side of them ting her best to protect them both from the non-lethal bullet. Lifting herself on her forearms she looks into his eyes and asks if he is okay.

"Um… yeah. Never better." He mumbles and watches mesmerized as she gets up from his body.

"Sorry! Sorry." Kat says while she steps forward to help Dean stand up.

"What are you still doing here!? Where's Sam?" Dean asks.

"He went to the basement. You guys called him."

"I didn't call anybody. Buffy?" With a small nod he knows what it was and apparently so does she. Hello Mr. Ellicott.

"His cell phone rang. He said it was you."

"Basement huh?" Dean looks around and grabs some extra weapons, "Alright. Watch yourselves"

"And watch out for us!" Buffy says and just like that, they're off.

* * *

Dean and Buffy scour the basement, each calling, "Sammy? Sam you down here? Sam? Sam!" As they turn Sam is standing right in front of them. Dean jumps back, automatically raising his shotgun while on instinct Buffy raises her fists.

"Man, answer me when I'm calling you! You alright?" Dean yells.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Sam says sarcastically.

"You know it wasn't me who called your cell right?"

"Yeah I know. I think something lured me down here."

"I think I know who. The baddie of the day, Dr. Ellicott. That's what the spirits have been trying to tell us. You haven't seen him have you?" Buffy questions.

"No. How do you know it was him?"

"Cause we found-" At hearing Dean's 'cough' she stopped herself, "Dean found his log book. Apparently he was experimenting on his patients, awful stuff. Makes lobotomies look like a coupla asprins."

"But it was the patients who rioted."

"Yeah. They were rioting against . Dr. Feelgood was working on some sort of, like, extreme rage therapy. He thought that if he could get his patients to vent their anger then they would be cured of it. Instead it only made them worse and worse and angrier and angrier. So I'm thinking what if his spirit is doing the Same thing? To the cop? To the kids in the 70s, making them so angry they become homicidal... Come on, we gotta find his bones and torch em." Dean explains.

"How? The police never found his body."

"The log book said he had some sort of hidden procedure room down here somewhere where he'd work on his patients, so. If I was a patient I'd drag his ass down here, do a little work on him myself."

"I don't know, it sounds kinda…"

"Crazy?" Buffy suggests.

"Yeah."

"That's the point." Dean opens another door, looks inside than gestures with his head for Sam and Buffy to follow. Sam gives Dean a stealthy, sly look but it goes unnoticed. They all enter the room.

"I told you I looked everywhere. I didn't find a hidden room." Sam informs.

"Well, that's why they call it hidden…" Dean stops once hearing the noise of the wind "You hear that?"

"What?"

"I heard it." Buffy says. Dean and Buffy both crouch to the floor and hold their hands.

"There's a door here." Turning their back on Sam was a fatal mistake, he points the gun at Dean and calls his name. They turn and are surprised to see Sam holding a gun to the both of them. He is altering the gun from Buffy's chest to Dean's silently making statement that if they do something he doesn't like, it's bye-bye birdie. A trickle of blood runs from Sam's nose, "Step back from the door." Dean and Buffy rise to their feet in synch, their instincts screaming at them for not noticing this sooner, and their eyes going from the gun to Sam's face.

"Sam, put the gun down." Dean gently says.

"Is that an order?" Sam reproaches.

"Nah it's more of a friendly request." Sam raises his gun to point at Dean's head, "Cause I'm getting pretty tired of taking your orders."

"I knew it. Ellicott did something to you."

"For once in your life just shut your mouth."

"What are you gunna do Sam? Gun's filled with rock salt. It's not gunna kill us." Sam quickly changes the gun's trajectory and shoots Buffy in the chest. The shot blasts her backwards through the hidden door, where she then falls to the floor in pain.

"No. But it will hurt like hell." Sam leers at Dean then shots him as well.

Dean lies on the floor, coming to and gasping for breath next to Buffy. The Slayer should be awake kicking Sam butt, however she wasn't. Turing quickly to look at the blonde he notices the gash mark that he knew from experience meant that Sam hit her with the butt of his gun. Knowing that she was out cold -at least for awhile- he tries a plan that will most likely fail, "Sam!" He yells. Sam stands over him. "We gotta burn Ellicott's bones and all this will be over, and you'll be back to normal."

"I am normal. I'm just telling the truth for the first time. I mean, why are we even here! Cause you're following dad's orders like a good little solider? Because you always do what he says without question? Are you that desperate for his approval? And what about Buffy? She doesn't need us! She has friends but she's just to selfish to cherish something you will never have!" Sam says enraged.

"This isn't you talking Sam."

"That's the difference between you and me. I have a mind, of my own. I'm not pathetic, like you."

"So what are you gunna do, huh? Are you gunna kill us?"

"You know what, I am sick of doing what you tell me to do. We're no closer to finding dad today than we were six months ago. The only thing we found was a broken Slayer." He spats.

"Well then here. Let me make it easier for you." Dean holds out one of his Smith & Wesson weapons toward Sam. "Come on. Take it. Real bullets are gonna work a hell of a lot better than rock salt." As Sam hesitates he barks, "Take it!" Sam points the gun at Dean's face. "You hate me that much. You think you could kill your own brother? A girl that we both know you think of as a friend? Then go ahead. Pull the trigger. Do it!" Sam pulls the trigger. The chamber is empty. He tries again, and once more. Dean uses a right cross to knock Sam to the ground and struggles to get up. Dean moves to stand over Sam, "Man, I'm not going to give you a loaded pistol!" Sam stares up at him. Dean delivers a vicious right cross to knock Sam out, almost falling as he does so. Dean putts his brother on the ground next to Buffy, patting him on the shoulder he says, "Sorry Sammy." Noticing the blonde move he shakes her awake. "Welcome back to the land of consciousness."

"Ha-ha. Very funny." She grumbles. He helps her to her feet as they search the hidden room. Dean pushes back ragged curtains with his pistol. Dr. Ellicott glides passed but Dean doesn't notice but Buffy stiffens. He see's a tuft of something poking out of the corner of a closed cupboard and moves closer. "Buffy." Once she's standing next to him he opens the door to find a mummified corpse and they both flinch back from the putrid smell, gagging.

"Oh that's just gross." Dean says, his disgust written on his face.

"Oh please tell me that's not what I smelled like!" Buffy whines.

"You were gone what? Five months. Trust me it's bad but not THIS bad." Taking a moment to process this information, Buffy finally says, "You know, we have really messed up lives" Dean nods and starts to salt the body.

"You're tellin' me." Dean drops the salt container and grabs a small tin of kerosene, squirting the body. In the background his torch flicker, unnoticed. A gurney comes flying across the room and knocks them to the ground. Dr. Ellicott grabs his face and his hands light up. "Don't be afraid. I'm going to help you. I'm going to make you all better." The doctor promises. Dean struggles with the doctor as Buffy reaches his bag. Luckily, the doctor was to occupied with Dean to notice Buffy, finding Dean's lighter, flicking it on and tossing it at the mummified body. Ellicott let's go of Dean as his remains start to burn. Dean crawls out-of-the-way and together they watch in a strange sense of awe as Ellicott's ghost turns black and falls to the ground, crumbling on impact. Sam wakes up and Dean looks over at him as he flexes his jaw painfully.

"You're not going to try and kill us are ya?" Sam raises his hand to push at his jaw as he says, "No."

"Good." Buffy answers. "Because that would be awkward."

* * *

It is now daybreak outside of the asylum where Kat, Gavin, Buffy, Sam, and Dean reside. "Thanks Guys." Kat smiles.

"Yeah. Thanks." Gavin repeats.

"No more haunted asylums ok?" Dean chastises. The trio watch Gavin and Kat walk toward their car, then turn to the Impala.

"Hey guys?" Sam calls. Dean turns to look at him as well as Buffy.

"I'm sorry man. I said some awful things back there."

"You remember all that?"

"Yeah. It's like I couldn't control it. But I didn't mean it, any of it."

"I know the feeling. This one time on Halloween we all turned into our costumes, it was one very weird freak fest. But.. Anyway carry on." Smirking at her Dean does as she asks and continues what he was going to say.

"You didn't huh?."

"No, of course not! Do we need to talk about this?" Dean moves to get in the Impala. "No. I'm not really in the sharing and caring kinda mood. I just wanna get some sleep."

* * *

In the darkness of night, Dean and Buffy are asleep in bed. Each obeying the unspoken about personal space bubble rule by leaving as much space between them as possible. Well except for their intertwined ankles that no one seems to notice. A phone rings, disrupting Sam's slumber. "Dean." He mumbles into the pillow. Dean doesn't move. Frowning, Sam grabs Deans phone from the end table and checks the number then flips it open. "Hello." He says, still foggy with sleep. He listens, then sits straight up in bed. Eyes bulging in shock, he says the only words that come to mind-

"Dad?"

**To Be Continued….**

**I'm going back to posting on Wednesday. I just can't do Sunday sorry.**

**Questions! **

**1) Do you think Buffy could fit up front in the Impala between Sam and Dean? Is there enough space? **

**2)Should I keep this story in the tense it is in or change it to past?**

**Please leave your opinion see ya soon! Or more like type ya soon. wow in my head this joke was a lot funnier… O_o**


	8. Chapter 8: Scarecrow

**The End or the Beginning?**

**Chapter 8: Scarecrow**

**I saw a few stories resembling this and wanted to take a stab at it. I heard it was originally a challenge but I'm not sure so…. Anyway….. Also in my story Buffy died in 2004/2005 so it's the start of Supernatural's season 1.**

**Sam and Dean find Buffy after she rises from her grave and things take off from there. A Buffy and Sam friendship and eventually Buffy/Dean **

**I realized I never put a disclaimer up! I don't own anything that you recognize!**

**I changed a little bit of Buffy's past before Sunnydale, let's see how it goes.**

**Thanks for responding to my questions! The Buffy sitting in Impala thing will be for future use and the story will stay in the tense it is in except for things like flashbacks. Thanks again to anyone who responded : )**

* * *

"_Well, does it ever get easy?" _

"_You mean life?" _

"_Yeah. Does it get easy?" _

"_What do you want me to say." _

"_Lie to me." Buffy Summers and Rupert Giles, Lie to Me, Season two. _

**Burkitsville, Indiana – One Year Ago. **

A married couple, Holly and Vince Parker leave a café, which is next to a gas station. With them is an older couple, Harley and Stacy Pike, and their teenage niece, Emily. "And before you leave, one of our apple pies." Stacy said while handing Holly a box, "On the house."

"Oh, my God, thank you so much!" Holly said gratefully.

"You're welcome."

Turning to her newly wedded husband, Vince, Holly said, "Hey, we should get lost more often. I mean, everyone in this town is so nice."

"Yeah, what's the catch?" He responds jokingly. Harley had just finished filling the couple's car with gas when he said, "You're all set."

"Thanks." They shake hands which causes Vince's sleeve to move further up his arm, revealing an intricate tattoo in black ink to Emily's gaze. "That's a cool tattoo." She commented

"Thanks."

"So, let's get you back to the interstate." Harley said.

"Yeah, please."

"Take Laskey straight out-of-town." He directed. "And then you're gonna turn right on Orchard Road."

"Ok. Thank you." They waved goodbye and the couple drove away.

When the couple reached the town orchard, their car broke down once again.

"What happened?" The woman asked.

"I don't know. Car just died." He replied. He took his cell phone out of his pocket. "Cell phone, too."

"How is that possible?" They got out of the car and looked around the orchard.

"Come on, looks like a house over there." He started walking away.

"No, I'm not going down there."

"Holly, we need help, we can't just wait here." Holly finally complied after showing much reluctance "Ok." She followed Vince. In another part of the orchard, Holly and Vince stopped by a scarecrow raised on a wooden post. They exchanged a look and walked closer to it.

"Check it out. If I only had a brain…"

"We wouldn't be lost."

"Thanks. That has got to be the freakiest damn scarecrow I've ever seen." He said in response to the scarecrow that was indeed not a normal one. Its skin almost seemed human like and its sickle (farming tool) was wickedly sharp.

"It scares me." They started walking away, but Holly saw the scarecrow's head move and gasped. "Please, let's just hurry, okay?" They started walking away even faster than before. Seconds later, they heard a rustling in the trees and turned around. No one was there or so it seemed.

"Did you hear that?" Holly nodded. "Hello? Who's there?" Nobody responded. They started running through the orchard. A minute later, Holly turned to Vince but he was gone. She stopped running and called out, "Vince? Vince?" She started racing in the opposite direction, hoping to find Vince. She tripped and fell to the ground. She turned her head and saw Vince's mutilated body on the ground. She screamed as she saw the scarecrow towering over her. She continued to scream in the hours of darkness but her cries were never heard.

* * *

**Now**

In the darkness of night, Dean and Buffy are asleep in bed. Each obeying an unspoken rule by leaving as much space between them as possible. Well except for their intertwined ankles that no one seems to notice. A phone rings, disrupting Sam's slumber. "Dean." He mumbles into the pillow. Dean doesn't move. Frowning, Sam grabs Deans phone from the end table and checks the number than flips it open. "Hello." He says, still foggy with sleep. He listens, then sits straight up in bed. Eyes bulging in shock, he says the only words that come to mind-

"Dad?"

At a payphone in California, John Winchester answers, "Sam, is that you?"

"Dad? Are you hurt?" Sam says frantically.

"I'm fine."

"We've been looking for you everywhere. We didn't know where you were, if you were okay."

"Sammy, I'm all right. What about you and Dean?" At the motel, Dean is waking up from hearing Sam's voice.

"We're fine. Dad, where are you?" Dean sits up in bed, which in turn jostles Buffy out of her slumber.

"Sorry, kiddo, I can't tell you that."

"What? Why not?"

"Is that Dad?" Dean calls but is ignored.

"Look, I know this is hard for you to understand. You're just gonna have to trust me on this."

"You're after it, aren't you? The thing that killed Mom."

"Yeah. It's a demon, Sam."

"A demon? You know for sure?"

"A demon? What's he saying?" Dean says but his question sounds more like a whine from a child who can't get the toy he wants. Again he is ignored.

"I do. Listen, Sammy, I, uh…I also know what happened to your girlfriend. I'm so sorry. I would've done anything to protect you from that."

"You know where it is?"

"Yeah, I think I'm finally closing in on it."

"Let us help."

"You can't. You can't be in any part of it."

"Why not?"

"Give me the phone." Dean says louder, but what a big surprise, he's disregarded.

"Listen, Sammy, that's why I'm calling. You and your brother, you gotta stop looking for me. Alright, now, I need you to write down these names."

"Names? What names, Dad—talk to me, tell me what's going on."

"Look, we don't have time for this. This is bigger than you think, they're everywhere. Even us talking right now, it's not safe."

"No. Alright? No way."

"Give me the phone." Dean practically yells.

"I have given you an order. Now, you stop following me, and you do your job. You understand me? Now, take down these names." Having been fed up with being unnoticed, Dean grabs the phone from Sam.

"Dad, it's me. Where are you? … Yes, sir. … Uh, yeah, I got a pen. What are their names?" After Dean hangs up the phones he says, no commands that they all get dressed and get into the car ASAP. Not used to seeing how bizarre Dean was acting Buffy obeys and quickly gets dressed as well as Sam.

* * *

In the car they discuss the recent phone call. "Alright, so, the names your Dad gave you, they're all couples?" Buffy questions.

"Three different couples. All went missing." Dean confirms.

"And they're all from different towns? Different states?" Sam asks.

"That's right. You got Washington, New York, Colorado. Each couple took a road trip cross-country. None of them arrived at their destination, and none of them were ever heard from again." Dean's eyes stay locked on the road in front of him as he answers.

"Well, it's a big country, Dean. They could've disappeared anywhere." Sam says snippily. At hearing the tone in Sam's voice, Buffy knows that some 'colorful' words were soon going to be exchanged. She decides to occupy herself by counting the sequences on her shirt to avoid the conversation for as long as possible.

"Yeah, could've. But each one's route took 'em to the Same part of Indiana. Always on the second week of April. One year after another after another." Dean's foot pushes down even faster on the accelerator than before.

"This is the second week of April."

"Yep."

"So, Dad is sending us to Indiana to go hunting for something before another couple vanishes?"

"Yahtzee. Can you imagine putting together a pattern like this? All the different obits Dad had to go through? The man's a master." Sam looks annoyed, pulls over to the side of the road and turns off the car. "What are you doing?"

"We're not going to Indiana."

"We're not?"

"No. We're going to California. Dad called from a payphone. Sacramento area code."

"Sam."

"Dean, if this demon killed Mom and Jess, and Dad's closing in, we've gotta be there. We've gotta help."

"Dad doesn't want our help."

"I don't care."

"He's given us an order."

"I don't care. We don't always have to do what he says." Sam says firmly.

"Sam, Dad is asking us to work jobs, to save lives, it's important."

"Alright, I understand, believe me, I understand. But I'm talking one week here, man, to get answers. To get revenge."

"Alright, look, I know how you feel."

"Do you?" Dean seems shocked at Sam's tone. "How old were you when Mom died? Four? Jess died six months ago. How the hell would you know how I feel?"

"Sam! Guys! Stop!" Buffy shouts, no longer able to tone them out. She has managed to get to 57 before she had to interrupt. Sam was angry, he had every right to be but to suggest that Dean didn't know what it was like to lose someone was just cruel. Losing someone you care about, no matter what age, isn't something you just get over. Her exclaim goes unnoticed by the brothers as they continue to bicker.

"Dad said it wasn't safe. For any of us. I mean, he obviously knows something that we don't, so if he says to stay away, we stay away."

"I don't understand the blind faith you have in the man. I mean, it's like you don't even question him."

"Yeah, it's called being a good son!" Sam, angry, gets out of the car. Dean also gets out and watches Sam unloading things from the trunk. "You're a selfish bastard, you know that? You just do whatever you want. Don't care what anybody thinks." Not wanting punches to be thrown Buffy scrambles to get out of the car.

"That's what you really think?"

"Yes, it is."

"Well, then this selfish bastard is going to California." He puts on his backpack and starts walking away.

"Come on, you're not serious."

"I am serious."

"It's the middle of the night! Hey, I'm taking off, I will leave your ass, you hear me?" Sam stops walking and turns around.

"That's what I want you to do." They stare at each other for a few seconds, waiting.

"Goodbye, Sam." He closes the trunk, gets in the car, and waits to see if Buffy will come with him. Walking up to the car (Sam still watching) Buffy tells Dean to give her a minute. He looks angry but obliges. Buffy quickly walks up to Sam, teary eyed and asks, "Will I see you again?"

"Of course. I don't know when but…" Sam hugs her tightly to his chest. "I'm sorry you got dragged into this."

"Be safe." Buffy says breaking the embrace.

"You too." He says honestly. Buffy was an amazing friend and it was unfair for this to happen to her. He would have asked her to go with him but he knew it was a bad idea. She needed to help save innocents, not chase after his absentee father. Sam watches her walk back to the car in sit in the front seat once the car pulls away, he then starts walking in the opposite direction.

* * *

In the Impala it is quite with many raging emotions. On a normal day Buffy would have been ecstatic to sit in the front but sadly it is not a normal day. Placing her head on the cool glass, her hair covers her face so Dean cannot see, the one lone tear that makes its way down her cheek. Her small family has been torn apart and she could do nothing to stop it. Sam was his own person she couldn't and wouldn't be selfish by stop him.

Hours later, having reached Burkitsville, Indiana, Dean pulls over to the side of the road and pulls out his cell phone. He selects the name 'Sam Mobile' and thinks about calling Sam. He changes his mind and closes his cell phone. Buffy, noticing the action says quietly, "You can call him. There's nothing wrong with being worried, he's family you have the right to be."

"That's big words from a girl who left hers behind." Dean says bitterly. It was a low blow and each knew that. Buffy gasps at his words and turns her face so he can't see the betrayal, disappointment, and hurt that shines on her face. Suddenly feeling like the world's biggest jerk, he tries to amend his actions, "Buffy…I..I didn't mean that."

"Yes you did." She says miserably.

"I'm sorry. It's just that Sam's gone, Dad's gone, and here you are."

"I'm sorry to be such a burden." She says brusquely.

"I didn't… It's just that you stayed and I'm really glad you did but…"

Realization dawns on her. "You're worried I'll leave." She turns to face him. "You know, I'm so post to be the insecure one." She smiles weakly. "I forgive you." Sniffling, she wipes her eyes, "We're okay right?" At his nod she continues, "Well than, let's do this."

* * *

In better spirits than they were mere hours ago, Buffy and Dean walk to Scotty's Café. Scotty is sitting in a chair on the porch when he spies the newcomers. Gesturing to the sign, Dean says, "Let me guess." he points to Scotty, "Scotty." Scotty looks at the sign.

"Yep."

"Hi, my name's John Bonham."

"Isn't that the drummer for Led Zeppelin?" Scotty asks. Surprised that someone recognized the name Dean says, "Wow. Good. Classic rock fan."

"What can I do for you, John? And…"

"umm…Buffy." Buffy says. At seeing the look on Dean's face she shrugs. It's not her fault she couldn't think of a fake name as fast as he could. Dean shakes his head, a small smile on his face as he takes two pieces of paper out of his pocket. They are Missing Person flyers for Holly and Vince Parker.

"We were wondering if, uh, you'd seen these people by chance." Scotty looks at the flyers.

"Nope. Who are they?" Scotty asks.

"Friends of ours. They went missing about a year ago. They passed through somewhere around here, and I've already asked around Scottsburg and Salem—"

"Sorry." He hands the flyers back to Dean. "We don't get many strangers around here." Buffy nods.

"Scotty, you've got a smile that lights up a room, anybody ever tell you that?" Buffy flirts, trying to see if she can get any more information. Scotty stares at her strangely. Dean chuckles. "Never mind. See you around." They walk away.

* * *

Out by the highway, Sam is standing on the side of the road. He turns around and sees a girl with short blonde hair sitting with her back to him. She is listening to music. "Hey." He says. She can't hear him though. He walks over to her and puts his hand on her shoulder. She jumps and takes off her headphones.

"You scared the hell outta me." She responds.

"I'm sorry. I just thought you might need some help."

"No, I'm good, thanks."

"Uh, so where you headed?"

"No offense, but no way I'm telling you."

"Why not?"

"You could be some kind of freak. I mean, you are hitchhiking."

"Well, so are you." The stranger laughs. A van honks its horn and pulls over.

"Need a ride?" The van driver asks.

"Yeah." Sam and the mysterious girl say. Turing to Sam the driver says, "Just her. I ain't takin' you." She gathers her things and gets in the van.

"You trust shady van guy and not me?" Sam says somewhat offended.

"Definitely." and with those final words, she's gone.

* * *

Buffy and Dean walk into Burkitsville General Store, hoping to find answers. "You sure they didn't stop for gas or something?" Dean asks. Harley shows the pictures to Stacy. Stacy shakes her head.

"Nope, don't remember 'em. You said they were friends of yours?" Harley says.

"That's right. Um, I don't mean to pry but you seem awfully familiar. Have we met?" Buffy asks. Dean raises an eyebrow but she couldn't care less at the moment, there was just a spark of familiarity that she couldn't place.

"I don't think so. Right Stacy?"

"I don't know Harley." The older woman replies.

"Wait. Not Stacy and Harley Pike? I mean, are you Oliver Pike's parents?" Buffy asks. It couldn't be Pike's parents could it?

"Yes," Pike's mother replies. "You knew him?"

"'Course I know him! We were friends in high school. Los Angeles, Buffy Summers, ring any bells?" At their nod she continues, "Where is he anyway?" Buffy says with a smile.

"He died...three years ago." Buffy's smile melts from her face.

"What?" She croaks out.

"He had two holes in his neck. He…bled out. We moved here after that. New start."

"Oh my god. I'm so sorry." Pike was dead, it sounded strange, wrong, unbelievable. Vampires had killed him. It had to be, after all he was a vampire hunter. Dean grabs her hand for support and gives it a gentle squeeze.

"So who's this ?" Stacy asks. Remembering how old-fashioned Burkitsville parents were, Buffy says, "This is my… fiancé. We just got engaged recently and decided to try and find Holly and Vince." Dean's eyes practically bulged out of his head at that statement of marriage. Still holding his hand, she mouths a discrete 'play along.' If Pike's parents found out that she was traveling cross-country with one man alone she would never hear the end of it. Not to mention Sam's normal presence. Suddenly Emily comes downstairs carrying some boxes.

"Did the guy have a tattoo?"

"Yes, he did." Dean says. Emily puts the boxes on the counter and looks at the picture of Vince.

"This is Emily, our niece." Stacy tells Buffy.

"You remember? They were just married." Emily says to her aunt and uncle. Harley suddenly starts remembering, "You're right. They did stop for gas. Weren't here more than ten minutes."

"You remember anything else?" Dean asks.

"I told 'em how to get back to the interstate. They left town."

"Could you point my fiancée and I in that same direction?" Dean asks, surprised that straining out the f-word wasn't as hard as he thought it would be.

"Sure."

* * *

Back in Dean's car, the duo are discussing recent events. "So. Pike. Who was he? Former friend, hunter…boyfriend?" Dean asks somewhat envious that he knew her longer than him.

"Me and Pike? God no. He was a great friend though. He was a hunter. He helped me burn down my high school gym before SunnyD. After that, we lost contact."

"I'm sorry."

"Me too." A few minutes pass in silence, the orchard's scenery flies by the window until Buffy says, "You hear that?" Dean lowers the volume on the car's radio and hears a high-pitched whine coming from the backseat.

"What the hell?" He pulls over and reaches into his bag. He pulls out the EMF meter, which is beeping frantically. Deciding that the orchard was something worth looking into, Buffy and Dean get out of the car and wander further into the greenery. All of a sudden they come to stop once they see a ghastly scarecrow on its post. The pair walk over to it and looks at it for a second in morbid fascination. "Dude, you fugly."

"Couldn't have said it better myself." The scarecrow doesn't move. Dean notices a sickle in the scarecrow's hand and a design on its arm. Dean takes a ladder from a nearby tree and climbs to the top so that he is eye level with the scarecrow. He moves its clothing and recognizes the design from Vince's tattoo. He pulls out Vince's flyer and compares the designs, which are exactly the same. He looks at the scarecrow again. "Nice tat." he says dryly. He explains to Buffy his findings and seeing how late it is, they decide to go get some rest.

* * *

About one hour later, Dean and Buffy trudge into an average looking motel. The short time living space is small compared to the other numerous motels they have had the joy of staying at. Walking up to the counter, Buffy is shocked to see Stacy. Once Stacy sees Buffy with her 'beau', she pulls out some paperwork to help quicken up the room selection progress. Once at the desk, all Buffy and Dean have to do is sign a sheet of paper, take a room key, and walk to their room but before they leave, Stacy says, "Enjoy your stay." to which Buffy smiles.

Walking into the room, Buffy is surprised to see one large bed in the middle of the room. "I thought I told you to get two beds one room." Buffy says.

"Well, Stacy though we were gonna get married thanks to your brilliant idea." Dean replies.

"Whatever." She walks into the bathroom to change. A few minutes later, she sees Dean lounging under the cover on the left side. Slipping under the covers on the right side, she closes her eyes and mumbles, "Night Dean."

"Night Buff." He says softly but it is no use, she is already asleep. He turns the table side lamp of with a quiet click and soon joins Buffy in the world of dreams.

* * *

A few hours later, Dean wakes up to the feel of something on his chest. Opening his eyes he is stunned to see Buffy asleep on his torso. He is equally stunned to find that his arm in draped around her waist almost like a lovers' embrace. Her head lies on his chest lightly and her hand gently rests over his quickening heart. Moving his head towards the clock, he sees it is a little early for them to begin their investigation. Deciding that a few more hours of slumber won't kill anybody -okay it might, but highly unlikely- he relaxes and tries to rejoin the world of sleep.

He fails.

Seeing that sleep is no longer an option, he skims the room, using the sliver of sunlight from the window to his advantage. Seeing everything that could be seen in the small room, he turns his attention to the small blonde who is resting peacefully. Dumbfounded is a good word to describe his thoughts -or lack thereof- once he sees her.

Her eyelids are closed against the dim light of dawn and her breathing is deep and relaxed. She barley moves except for the rising and falling of her breasts which move with each intake of air. Her golden hair is pushed to one side, revealing her cherub face. Her face shows nothing of the horrors they face daily. If anything, she is the perfect model of innocence. He grins at her sleeping form softly. Her full, pink lips part slightly as she takes in a larger gulp of air. He can't help but wonder what it would be like to feel her lips on his own.

Fireworks? Paradise? Heaven? Squashing down his thought for later examination, he continues to stare at her intensely. As if detecting his scrutiny, she wakes up. After she blinks her eyes a few times, she notices her 'pillow'. "Sorry." she mumbles while lifting up her head. Almost in a dream like state himself, he says, "It's alright."

* * *

Dean and Buffy pulls up in the car and get out at Burkitsville gas station. Emily is standing by the gas pumps and greets them, "You're back."

"Never left." Dean jokes.

"Still looking for your friends?" Buffy nods.

"You mind fillin' her up there, Emily?" He says noticing her necklace that has her name written in script. She grabs a pump and starts filling up Dean's tank.

"So, you grew up here?" Buffy asks.

"I came here when I was thirteen. I lost my parents. Car accident. My aunt and uncle took me in." She informs them.

"Speaking from personal experience they're nice people." Buffy smiles as if reminiscing about the people in question.

"Everybody's nice here."

"So, what, it's the perfect, everyone knows everyone town?"

"Well, you know, it's the boonies. But I love it. I mean, the towns around us, people are losing their homes, their farms. But here, it's almost like we're blessed." Dean nods as well as Buffy.

"Hey, you been out to the orchard? You seen that scarecrow?" Dean asks.

"Yeah, it creeps me out." Dean laughs and Buffy chuckles at the other blonde's joke.

"Gave me the maxi-wig too. Whose is it?" Buffy asks.

"I don't know. It's just always been there." Buffy nods towards a red van parked by the garage.

"That your aunt and uncle's?"

"Customer. Had some car troubles."

"It's not a couple, is it?" Dean intersects. "A guy and a girl?" Emily nods.

"Mmhmm." Dean and Buffy look at each other, concerned.

* * *

Sam is talking to a clerk at a bus station. "Sorry, the Sacramento bus doesn't run again till tomorrow." She checks the schedule. "Uh, 5:05 PM."

"Tomorrow? There's got to be another way." Sam pleas.

"Well, there is." Sam's eyes light up at the thought of leaving the station. "Buy a car." The light quickly diminishes. Sam, annoyed, leaves the ticket window. He takes out his PalmPilot and selects Dean's phone number. He doesn't notice the familiar short-haired blonde sitting on the floor with her bags until she says, "Hey." Sam looks at her, confused, and turns off his PalmPilot without calling Dean.

"Hey." He greets.

"You again."

"What happened to your ride?"

"You were right. That guy was shady. He was all hands." Sam raises his eyebrows. "I cut him loose." Sam looks around, disappointed. "What's the matter?"

"Just trying to get to California." He informs her.

"No way."

"Yeah."

"Me too." She stands up and walks toward Sam. "You know, the next bus isn't until tomorrow."

"Yeah. Yeah, that's the problem."

"Why? What's in Cali that's so important?"

"Just something I've been looking for. For a long time."

"Well, then I'm sure it can wait one more day, right?" Sam laughs. He may not be able to even see his father by the time he reaches California. For all he knew, he could have already left. The woman extends her hand and Sam shakes it. "I'm Meg."

"Sam."

* * *

Buffy and Dean are on route to Scotty's café when she stops suddenly. "What's wrong?" Dean asks.

"Its just-" She starts.

"You wanna talk to the Pike's." It was a statement not a question. "Its okay."

"You sure? 'Cause something could go wrong here. What if you need me here but I'm there and then you get hurt and I'm with the Pike's talking about the good ole days while you're bleeding in a ditch? Does that even happen?" She babbles. "How often do you see someone on the news that has fallen in one? I mean you do get your occasional toddler, but.. I'm babbling aren't I?" She sees Dean's smile and drops the conversation.

"Go."

"You sure?"

"If I fall in a ditch, you'll be the first one I call." He says flippantly.

"Good."

* * *

Scotty is serving the couple whose car broke down. He puts two plates of apple pie in front of them. "We're famous for our apples. So, you gotta try this pie."

"Oh, no. It—please." The woman pleads.

"It's on the house." Scotty reassures them. The bell above the door chimes when Dean saunters into the restaurant. Dean -seeing Scotty- says, "Oh, hey, Scotty. Can I get a coffee, black?" Scotty walks away to get his order. "Oh, and some of that pie, too, while you're at it." He sits at a table next to the couple. "How ya doin'?" The couple wave and smile. "Just passing through?"

"Road trip."

"Hm. Yeah, me too." They nod. Scotty walks over to refill their cider.

"I'm sure these people want to eat in peace."

"Just a little friendly conversation." Scotty walks away. "Oh, and that coffee, too, man. Thanks." Scotty looks agitated. Dean keeps talking to the couple. "So, what brings you to town?"

"We just stopped for gas. And, uh, the guy at the gas station saved our lives."

"Is that right?"

"Yeah, one of our brake lines was leaking. We had no idea. He was fixing it for us." The man informs.

"Nice people." He says a little concerned. It couldn't be the Pike's and even if it was, Buffy could take care of herself.

"Yeah."

"So, how long till you're up and runnin'?"

"Sundown."

"Really." He thinks about it for a minute. "To fix a brake line?" The man nods. "I mean, you know, I know a thing or two about cars. I could probably have you up and running in about an hour. I wouldn't charge you anything."

"You know, thanks a lot, but I think we'd rather have a mechanic do it." The girl says.

"Sure. I know." He pauses. "You know, it's just that these roads. They're not real safe at night." The couple exchange a look. The girl blinks her eyes a few times until she asks, "I'm sorry?"

"I know it sounds strange, but, uh—you might be in danger." Annoyed, the man says, "Look, we're trying to eat. Okay?"

"Yeah." He looks disappointed. The couple seems worried by Dean. "You know, my brother could give you this puppy dog look, or my friend Buffy could give you the cutest pout in the entire world and you'd just buy right into it." The bell above the café door jingles and someone walks in. Scotty comes out from a back room.

"Thanks for coming, Sheriff." Scotty says to the law officer. Dean looks nervous and frustrated. Scotty whispers something in the sheriff's ear, and they both look at Dean, who looks away. The sheriff walks over to him, "I'd like a word, please."

"Come on. I'm having a bad day already." Dean complains.

"You know what would make it worse?"

The sheriff's car is following the Impala to make sure Dean leaves town. When he is gone, the sheriff turns around and drives back to Burkitsville.

* * *

Back at the bus station, Sam and Meg are sitting at a table with beers and different types of junk foods around them. "So, what, are you on some kind of vacation or something?" Sam asks. Meg laughs at his question.

"Yeah, right. It's all sipping Cristal poolside for me." They laugh. "No. I had to get away from my family."

"Why?"

"I love my parents. And they wanted what's best for me. They just didn't care if I wanted it. I was supposed to be smart. But not smart enough to scare away a husband." Sam smiles slightly. "It's just…because my family said so, I was supposed to sit there and do what I was told. So I just went on my own way instead." Sam stares at her, surprised at how much she has shared. "I'm sorry. The things you say to people you hardly know."

"No, no, it's okay. I know how you feel. Remember that brother I mentioned before, that I was road-tripping with?" Meg nods. "It's, uh, it's kind of the same deal. Buffy's great but I couldn't stay there with him"

"And that's why you're not riding with him anymore?" Sam shakes his head, Meg raises her beer bottle and says, "Here's to us. The food might be bad, and the beds might be hard. But at least we're living our own lives. And nobody else's." Sam taps his bottle against hers and they both drink.

* * *

Dean is driving back to Burkitsville. The moon has risen and has cast an eerie glow on the trees.

The couple's car has broken down by the orchard and they are walking through the trees, hoping for refuge. "I can't believe it. We just got the car fixed." The girl says in disbelief.

"This way." They start walking towards a clearing. The scarecrow moves quickly behind them. The girl gasps and they turn around.

"Steve?" They hear more noises of rustling trees.

"Who's there?" They look around and the scarecrow comes out from behind the trees. It begins walking towards them, and they start running away. They are almost at the clearing when Dean runs in front of them, gun in hand. They stop when he practically shouts, "Get back to your car." The couple look behind them and see the scarecrow getting closer. "Go! Go!" The couple run away. Dean cocks his gun and shoots the scarecrow, which stumbles but keeps walking. Dean begins running, cocks his gun again, and shoots. Again, the scarecrow keeps going. Dean tries one more time, but the scarecrow keeps moving. Dean decides his best chance is to run, and that he does do. "Go! Go!" Finally, Dean and the couple reach the clearing. Dean cocks his gun and looks around, but the scarecrow has disappeared. "What—what the hell was that?" Steve asks panting.

"Don't ask."

* * *

Back in his car, Dean finally brings himself to do a clearly difficult task. Flipping open his cell phone he looks at one moment before hitting the call button. "Please don't pick up. Please don't pick up." he mumbles into the phone.

"Hello? Dean?" Damn it.

"Hey, Buffy."

"What's wrong."

"Nothing. Just had a run in with the scarecrow."

"What! See I told you something would happen."

"That was after I got kicked out-of-town."

"You didn't fall into a ditch did you? I mean 'cause if you did I'll-" She stops, realizing what he just said, "That's it where are you? I'm coming over there."

"No its okay. I'm fine promise. From experience, I know that Mr. Scarecrow is a Pagan god." After a few minutes of silence on her end, he worriedly says, "Buffy?"

"It's just…Glory, the thing that killed me, was a god. I coming, now."

"No, Buff listen, it's nowhere near as dangerous okay. Stay with them the night okay? I'll check in."

"But-"

"Goodnight Buffy." He says ready to end their conversation and start a not as difficult, but equally changing talk with Sam.

"Wait! Dean!" She cries.

"Yeah?"

"Be careful."

"You too."

* * *

"The scarecrow climbed off its cross?" Sam asks Dean several minutes later.

"Yeah, I'm tellin' ya. Burkitsville, Indiana. Fun Town."

"It didn't kill the couple, did it?"

"No. I can't cope without you or Buffy, you know." Ignoring him, Sam says-

"So, something must be animating it. A spirit."

"No, it's more than a spirit. It's a god. A Pagan god, anyway."

"What makes you say that?"

"The annual cycle of its killings? And the fact that the victims are always a man and a woman. Like some kind of fertility right. And you should see the locals. The way they treated this couple. Fattenin' 'em up like a Christmas turkey."

"The last meal. Given to sacrificial victims."

"Yeah, I'm thinking a ritual sacrifice to appease some Pagan god."

"So, a god possesses the scarecrow…"

"And the scarecrow takes its sacrifice. And for another year, the crops won't wilt, and disease won't spread."

"Do you know which god you're dealing with?"

"No, not yet."

"Why don't you have Buffy helping you deal with this?"

"A god killed her, Sam. It just feels wrong to force her into a situation like this."

"I get it. Well anyway, you figure out what it is, you can figure out a way to kill it.

"I know. I'm actually on my way to a local community college. I've got an appointment with a professor. You know, since I don't have my trusty sidekick geek boy to do all the research." Sam laughs.

"You know, if you're hinting you need my help, just ask."

"I'm not hinting anything. Actually, uh—I want you to know….I mean, don't think…."

"Yeah. I'm sorry, too."

"Sam. You were right. You gotta do your own thing. You gotta live your own life."

"Are you serious?"

"You've always known what you want. And you go after it. You stand up to Dad. And you always have. Hell, I wish I—anyway….I admire that about you. I'm proud of you, Sammy."

"I don't even know what to say."

"Say you'll take care of yourself."

"I will."

"Call me when you find Dad."

"OK. Bye, Dean." Sam says sadly. They hang up. Meg wakes up and moves next to Sam. "Who was that?"

"My brother."

"What'd he say?"

"Goodbye." They exchange a look.

* * *

Dean is with the college professor he spoke earlier about to Sam. Buffy did indeed stay with the Pike's overnight which is something he was crestfallen by, but not ready to voice his thoughts on. "It's not every day I get a research question on Pagan ideology." The professor says.

"Yeah, well, call it a hobby."

"But you said you were interested in local lore?" The professor asks curiously.

"Mmhmm."

"I'm afraid Indiana isn't really known for its Pagan worship."

"Well, what if it was imported? You know, like the Pilgrims brought their religion

over. Wasn't a lot of this area settled by immigrants?"

"Well, yeah."

"Like that town near here, Burkitsville. Where are their ancestors from?"

"Uh, northern Europe, I believe, Scandinavia."

"What could you tell me about those Pagan gods?"

"Well, there are hundreds of Norse gods and goddesses."

"I'm actually looking for one. Might live in an orchard."

* * *

Dean had just figured out that the god he was looking for really wasn't a Pagan god but a Norse god called The Vanir. The Vanir were of protection and prosperity, keeping the local settlements safe from harm. Some villages built effigies of the Vanir in their fields. Other villages practiced human sacrifice. One male, and one female. He couldn't help but notice how similar the Vanir looked to a scarecrow from the illustration in the book he was reading. He also had learned that this particular Vanir's energy sprung from a sacred tree. He shakes the professor's hand once he gets all the info he needs and starts to walk out of the classroom.

When he opens it, the sheriff hits him on the head with the end of his rifle. Dean falls to the ground, and the sheriff and the professor exchange a knowing look.

* * *

On the streets of Burkitsville, Stacy, Harley, Scotty, and the sheriff are standing in the rain, upset. "You don't understand, Harley. All of us here—It's our responsibility to protect the town." Scotty says.

"I understand. Better than all of you. I'm the one that gives 'em directions. I'm the one that sends 'em down to the orchard." Harley says.

"Harley, please." The sheriff scolds.

"We all close our doors. Look the other way. Pretend we can't hear the screams. But this is different, this—this is murder."

"It's angry with us. Already the trees are beginning to die. Tonight's the seventh night of the cycle. Our last chance." Stacy adds.

"If the boy has to die, the boy has to die. But why does it have to be her? At one time she was son's best friend." They say nothing, but stare at the ground, disappointed.

* * *

Dean is by himself in a dark, dank cellar. Suddenly, the cellar door open and Buffy is unconscious in the arms of Harley. They bring her down the stairs, pass her to Dean and go back upstairs. With the blonde in his arm he asks the only question he can think of, "How can you do this? Is this what Pike would have wanted?"

"It's for the common good." Stacy says emotionlessly. She shuts the cellar door and Dean and Buffy are left in the dark. Seeing the blood on her face, he can infer that she was surprised and had no time to react to the assault. He sits them both on the ground placing her head on his lap so he can softly pet her hair. He looks at the cellar door and knows that they won't be getting out of her until Miss Slays A Lot wakes up or until someone comes to take them away.

* * *

Meg is gathering her things while Sam is trying to call Dean on his cell phone after numerous failed attempts to call Buffy. "Hey. Our bus came in." Meg informs him. Sam hangs up the phone, shaking his head.

"You better catch it. I gotta go." He puts on his backpack.

"Go where?"

"Burkitsville."

"Sam, wait!" She exclaims.

"I've been trying to call my brother and my friend for the last three hours. I'm just getting their voicemails."

"Well, maybe their phones are turned off."

"No, that's not like them. Meg, I think they might be in trouble."

"What kind of trouble?"

"I can't really explain right now. I'm sorry, look, I don't want you to miss your bus."

"But I don't understand. You're running back to your brother? The guy you ran away from? Why, because he won't pick up his phone? Sam—come with me to California."

"I can't. I'm sorry."

"Why not?"

"He's- They're my family." Sam leaves with Meg watching him go, close to tears.

* * *

Dean is still sitting against a wall with the Slayer's head in his lap after what feels like hours since their imprisonment. Suddenly she groggily wakes up. "I see the princess has awaken." Dean says softly, no hint of anger in his tone. Removing herself from his lap, she leans against the wall next to him.

"God, I'm turning into Giles." Buffy mumbles. It was true, ever since she met the Winchester boys, she got knocked out a lot more than she's used to. "They're gonna kill us aren't they?"

"Sacrifice us. Which is, I don't know, classier, I guess?" She chuckles. "Now, we can destroy the scarecrow, but we gotta find the tree."

"Are you sure you didn't hit your head?" Buffy says teasingly. "What tree?"

"When I was the professor, I looked into the history of this town. There was this one apple tree. The immigrants brought it over with them. They call it the First Tree. The locals treat it with a lot of respect, you know, like it was sacred."

"Is it in the orchard?"

"Yeah, but I don't know where." The cellar door opens and the four elders are standing there. "It's time." Stacy says. Dean and Buffy look at each other, nervous. Fighting would have been the first option but the guns they had pointed at them squashed that plan.

* * *

The elders are tying Dean and Buffy to two adjacent trees. "How many people have you killed, Sheriff? How much blood is on your hands?" Dean asks menacingly, or would have been menacingly if he wasn't, you know, attached to a tree.

"We don't kill them." The sheriff reproaches.

"No, but you sure cover up after. I mean, how many cars have you hidden, clothes have you buried?" The sheriff walks away.

"Harley, please." Buffy pleads to the man, hoping to get through to him.

"I am so sorry, Buffy. I wish it wasn't you." Harley says regretfully. Picking up the gun he had lain on the ground, he smacks Buffy once more. She is once again out cold. "Pike told us that you're The Slayer. We can't take any chances." He says to her lifeless form.

"I hope your apple pie is freakin' worth it!" Dean shouts once they leave. He could almost hear her in his mind saying a sarcastic, "So, what's the plan?" Even though he knew she didn't really speak, he could not stop himself from replying, "I'm workin' on it."

* * *

_"You don't have a plan, do you?"_ said the voice in his head hours later. "I'm workin' on it. Can you see?" Dean said slightly panicked to himself.

"What?" Buffy says weakly. Turning his head to see her, a smile of relief flashed across his features.

"You're awake."

"And we're tied to a tree. Mind telling me why?"

"Remember Harley, Stacy, guns?" At her nod of recognition he asks, "Is the scarecrow moving yet?"

"I can't see." A shadow moves near the trees. As it moves closer, Dean tries to untie his ropes along with Buffy. Sam comes out from behind the trees shocking both captives.

"Dean? Buffy?"

"Oh! Oh, I take everything back I said. I'm so happy to see you. Come on." Dean says overjoyed. Sam begins untying Dean from the tree. "How'd you get here?"

"I, uh—I stole a car." Sam moves over to Buffy and unties her ropes.

"Haha! That's my boy!" Dean cheers.

"Sam!" Buffy says. Believing that the blonde was going to hug him he stands near her only to get a slap in the face. "Don't you EVER leave again! I acted okay with it but damn it!" She grabs him in a giant bear hug, "I missed you." Sam's arm hang limply at his sides until he slowly wraps them around the girl.

"I missed you too." Backing away from the hug, Buffy says, "We need to keep an eye on that scarecrow. He could come alive any minute."

"What scarecrow?" Dean walks to where he would be able to see the scarecrow's post, it appears to have a vacancy. He, Sam, and Buffy exchange a nervous look.

Sam, Dean, and Buffy are running quickly through the forest. "Alright, now, this sacred tree you're talking about—" Sam asks, trying to learn the full story.

"It's the source of its power." Dean explains.

"So let's find it and burn it."

"Nah, in the morning. Let's just shag ass before Leather Face catches up." The three of them reach a clearing. Waiting for them are the elders and a few other townspeople. "This way." Buffy calls. They turn around but they are blocked in all directions. "Harley, Stacy, please stop this."

"It'll be over quickly, I promise. Buffy, you have to let him take you. You have to" All of a sudden, the scarecrow sticks his sickle through Harley's stomach. Stacy screams while Buffy looks on bewildered, then Stacy is captured by the scarecrow, too. Buffy feels Dean's comforting hand on her shoulder. It was too late. The rest of the townspeople run away in fright.

"Come on, let's go." Buffy says. Eyeing her but deciding to move on, Sam, Dean, and Buffy start running again. They hear a noise and turn around, but the scarecrow and its victims have disappeared. The three of them stay there and look around.

* * *

It is now morning and true to their word, the three have returned to destroy the tree. Sam, Dean, and Buffy walk to the sacred tree with gasoline and a lighter. The tree is marked with Vince's tattoo design. Sam goes to the tree and pours the gasoline on it. Dean picks up a long branch and lights it. "Let me." Buffy says and takes the branch from Dean.

"You know, the whole town's gonna die." Dean says next to her.

"Good." She throws the burning branch onto the tree, and the three of them watch it go up in flames.

* * *

Somewhere else in town, Emily is getting on a bus to Boston. After hearing about the death of her family and many of the others, she has decided to try to get a fresh start. Giving the town one more small glance, she steps on the bus with a sad smile.

* * *

Back at the orchard, the trio are walking back towards the car in mid-discussion. "And the rest of the townspeople, they'll just get away with it?" Sam asks.

"Well, what'll happen to the town will have to be punishment enough." Buffy says. "What made you change your mind, Sam?"

"I didn't. I still wanna find Dad. And Dean's still a pain in the ass." Dean nods. "But, Jess and Mom—they're both gone. Dad is God knows where. You guys and me. We're all that's left. So, if we're gonna see this through, we're gonna do it together. Dean pauses.

"Hold me, Sam. That was beautiful." He puts his hand on Sam's shoulder, who hits it away. They laugh.

"You should be kissing my ass, you were dead meat, dude."

"Yeah, right. I had a plan, I'd have gotten out."

"Right. I would have gotten out, you would have screamed like a woman." Buffy sticks her tongue out in comically. They smile and get in the car. Dean driving, Sam in the front, and Buffy in the back. The way it should be.

* * *

Another shady guy is driving Meg around in his pickup truck. "So, where to, pretty lady?" He drawls

"How about you pull over?" She says seductively. He looks at her, "Okay. That works." He pulls over. Meg reaches into her bag and pulls out a silver bowl. "What's that?"

"I've got to make a call." She reaches into the bowl to get something.

"I've got a cell phone you could use." He informs her.

"It's not that kind of call." She pulls out a knife and slits the van driver's throat. She holds the bowl under his neck and lets his blood pour into it. "Thanks for the ride." She says unaffected at the sound of him choking on his own blood. She begins stirring the blood in the bowl with her finger. "Tire quiero patem me a di." The blood swirls around and a silver orb appears in the middle of the liquid. "It makes no sense. I could've stopped Sam. Hell, I could've taken them all. Why let them go? And with a Slayer none the less." She pauses, seemingly listening to someone. "Yes." She pauses again. "Yes" She pauses one more time. "Yes, Father."

* * *

**TO BE CONTINUED**

**I wanted to post this chapter earlier but then i was given A LOT of homework and after some icecream. Who can resist choclate peanut butter? Tnx again for responding to my Q's last week and thanks to all the new favs/follows!**


	9. Chapter 9: Faith

**The End or the Beginning?**

**Chapter 9: Faith**

**I saw a few stories resembling this and wanted to take a stab at it. I heard it was originally a challenge but I'm not sure so…. Anyway….. Also in my story Buffy died in 2004/2005 so it's the start of Supernatural's season 1.**

**Sam and Dean find Buffy after she rises from her grave and things take off from there. A Buffy and Sam friendship and eventually Buffy/Dean **

**I don't own anything that you recognize!**

* * *

_"Well, my philosophy is – do you wanna hear my philosophy? Life is short. Not original, I'll grant you. But it's true. Why waste time being all shy? Why worry about some guy and if he's gonna laugh at you? You know? Seize the moment. 'Cause tomorrow you might be dead." Buffy Summers, Welcome to the Hellmouth, Season 1._

Growls come from the Impala's engine as Buffy, Sam, and Dean drive up to an abandoned house. They park and open the trunk. Dean then removes three tasers. "What do you got those amped up to?" Sam asks.

"A hundred thousand volts." Dean replies.

"Damn." Buffy says, a bit shocked at how much power the tasers hold.

"Yeah, I want this rawhead extra frickin' crispy. And remember, you only get one shot with these things. So make it count."

Buffy, Sam, and Dean are moving down the basement stairs with their guns and flashlights raised. Hearing a noise, they move toward a cupboard. Dean whispers to the others, "On three. One." but before he can even reach three, Buffy swings open the door. "I should have know you were gonna do that." Dean hisses. Looking inside the furniture, they see a boy and girl crouched inside, covering their ears.

"Is it still here?" Buffy breathes out. The children nod in conformation and fear.

To the boy, Dean says, "Ok. Grab your sister's hand, come on, we gotta get you out of here. Let's go, let's go." They move towards the stairs. "Alright, go!" He says more urgently.

Sam and Buffy start to take the children upstairs when suddenly a hand grabs one leg from both hunters, knocking them down the steps. The children scream and run to the top of the stairs.

"Buffy! Sam!" Dean cries. Once they two get up, Dean shoots the taser but misses. "Sam, get 'em outta here! Buff! Help me kill this son of a bitch." Buffy moves closer to Dean, taser raised, and ready to kill some monster butt when Sam swiftly throws Dean his taser. "Here take this!" Sam calls. He then runs up the stairs and moves the children out of sight.

Dean and Buffy move around the basement on high alert, shining their flashlights into the corners of the room. "Come on!" Dean barks. A ragged, hairy creature leaps up and shoves Buffy backwards. Buffy loses her weapon and flashlight as she falls. Seeing that the creature is closing in on her, Dean lifts up his own weapon and releases it toward the beast. Electricity moves from the beast through the water to Dean, who didn't see the puddle he was standing in. They both shake and twitch, the creature falls, and Dean loses consciousness. Buffy, luckily spared, can only watch in horror as Dean falls to the ground.

Pulling herself out of her dazed state, she rushes to Dean's trembling form. She half lifts him, and holds his face. She is so shaken by Dean's quivering, that she doesn't even notice Sam running down the stairs until he yells, "Dean!"

* * *

Hours later, Sam and Buffy stand at a desk with a receptionist. "Sir, I'm so sorry to ask. There doesn't seem to be any insurance on file."

"Right. Uh, ok." Sam replies. He removes a card from his wallet and hands it to the receptionist. She gives it a quick glance before saying, "Okay, Mr. Burkovitz." Buffy and Sam see two cops waiting and walk over to them.

"Look, we can finish this up later." One cop says after looking at Buffy. Her hair was messy from her hands that kept running through it, her eyes puffy and red, and her skin was very pale. It didn't take a genius to figure out the petite woman was worried.

Sam speaks up for the both of them, "No, no, it's okay. We were just taking a shortcut through the neighborhood. And, um, the windows were rolled down, we heard some screaming when we drove past the house, and we stopped. Ran in."

"And you found the kids in the basement?"

"Yeah."

"Well, thank God you did." Buffy sees a doctor walking towards them. "Excuse us." She says hoarsely. Sam raises an eyebrow at her words, she hasn't spoken since Dean's accident.

"Sure. Thanks for your help."

Once they reach the doctor, it is no time for pleasantries as Sam quickly get to the point, "Hey, Doc. Is he…"

"He's resting." The doctor replies considerately.

"And?" Sam urges.

"The electrocution triggered a heart attack. Pretty massive, I'm afraid. His heart...it's damaged."

"H-How damaged?" Buffy croaks out, her eyes brimming with tears.

"We've done all we can. We can try and keep him comfortable at this point. But, I'd give him a couple of weeks, at most, maybe a month." At that news, Buffy pulls Sam in for a tight hug. Her Slayer strength making her hug tight but it goes unnoticed by Sam as he offers as much comfort as possible. He can feel her hot tears that she refuses to show to a stranger through his shirt as he shakes his head in protest. "No, no. There's, there's...gotta be something you can do, some kind of treatment."

"We can't work miracles. I really am sorry." The doctor says regretfully. This was the part of his job he hated the most, squashing whatever hope a family had for a loved one's recovery. The doctor watches as she pulls back from her friend, wipes her eyes, and walks down towards the patients' room, her companion following.

* * *

Before entering Dean's room, Buffy stops Sam and says, "You go I first. I'll be in, in a minute. Don't want Dean seeing me be all weepy now do we?" She offers a sad smile. Sam nods his head to signal that he understands and opens the door to Dean's room.

Dean is watching TV, he is pale and has dark circles under his eyes. Dean keeps his eyes on the TV when he says weakly, "Have you ever actually watched daytime TV? It's terrible."

Sam shakes his head and sighs, "Buffy will be here in a minute. She…" He stops not sure if Buffy would want him to know about her little cry-fest. "We talked to your doctor."

"That fabric softener teddy bear. Oh, I'm gonna hunt that little bitch down."

"Dean." Sam chastises. Dean looks up and shuts the television off with a click.

"Yeah. All right, well, looks like you guys are gonna leave town without me."

"What are you talking about? We're not gonna leave you here."

Dean turns very serious as he says, "You better take care of Buffy and you better take care of that car. Or, I swear, I'll haunt your ass."

"I don't think that's funny." Buffy says entering the room.

"Oh, come on, it's a little funny." Dean starts to laugh but it soon turns into a fit of coughs. A long silence overcomes them after his wheezing. Sam looks down, fighting tears while Buffy's face shows no emotion. She has cried enough already, tears didn't solve anything but she would. Dean sighs. "Look, Sammy, guys, what can I say, man, it's a dangerous gig. I drew the short straw. That's it, end of story."

"Don't talk like that, alright? We still have options." Sam says.

"What options? Yeah, burial or cremation. And I know it's not easy. But I'm gonna die. And you can't stop it."

Buffy's face clouds over in determination, "Watch us."

* * *

Later, one of the two beds in the trio's shared motel room is covered in pages of research about heart care. Buffy had left hours ago after feeling useless in the search for a cure for Dean. "Being a Slayer has its perks" is how she put it to Sam "fighting is comfort food." Sam, one of the greatest researchers ever, was even having difficulties of finding a healer so he has decided to try to call his father. The shrill ringing f the phone rings in his ears until the voicemail of John Winchester finally picks up, "This is John Winchester. I can't be reached. If this is an emergency, call my son, Dean. 866-907-3235. He can help."

Fighting his tears, Sam says, "Hey, Dad. It's Sam. Uh...you probably won't even get this, but, uh...it's Dean. He's sick, and uh...the doctors say there's nothing they can do. Um...but, uh, they don't know the things we know, right? So, don't worry, cause I'm uh...gonna do whatever it takes to get him better. Alright...just wanted you to know." Sam hangs up, tosses his phone on the bed and just sits there silently. There is a knock on the door and he looks up quickly, tears in his eyes. He opens it to find Dean leaning on Buffy, looking terrible.

Surprised, happy and confused all at once Sam asks, "What the hell are you doing here?"

"The idiot check himself out." Buffy says, her tone of voice betraying her words. Each brother could see that she thought the situation was amusing. "I found him walking towards the motel after I responded to the local bat signal."

"What, are you crazy?" Sam asks his brother.

Dean enters the room, putting his arm around Buffy's waist for support he says, "Well, I'm not gonna die in a hospital where they don't even serve pie." Dean reasons even though the pie wouldn't affect his health at the moment. Sam huffs a laugh and shuts the door.

"You know, this whole I-laugh-in-the-face-of-death thing? It's crap. I can see right through it."

"Yeah, whatever, dude. Have you even slept? You look worse than me."

"And that's saying something." Buffy adds while helping Dean into a chair.

"I've been scouring the internet for the last three days. Calling every contact in Dad's journal." Sam explains.

"For what?" Dean asks puzzled.

"For a way to help you. One of Dad's friends, Joshua, he called me back. Told me about a guy in Nebraska. A specialist."

"You're not gonna let me die in peace, are you?"

"Speaking from experience, rest in peace holds no meaning to me." Buffy says. "We're not gonna let you die, period. I don't know what the hell Sam found but we're going."

* * *

The Impala bumps along a rutted gravel road toward a large white circus tent set up in a field. People make their way toward the tent across the very muddy ground -due to the recent storm- many on walking frames or helped by others. Sam gets out from the driver seat and runs around to help Dean. Buffy, sensing that Dean doesn't want to be waited on hand and foot, gets out of the car and waits patiently by the side of the car. Dean opens his door and looks around. A sign next to the tent reads _The Church of Roy LeGrange. Faith Healer. Witness The Miracle. _Grimacing, Dean starts to pull himself out of the car. Sam tries to help. "I got ya." Sam says.

Angrily Dean huffs, "I got it." He didn't want or need Sam's help. He pushes Sam away. "Man, you are a lying bastard. Thought you said we were going to see a doctor."

"I believe I said a specialist. Look, Dean, this guy's supposed to be the real deal. Buffy came along too!" He says trying to throw Buffy under the bus as well as himself.

"I didn't know!" She protests.

"I can't believe you brought me here to see some guy who heals people out of a tent."

An elderly woman with an umbrella passes by. "Reverend LeGrange is a great man."

"Yeah, that's nice." Dean replies sarcastically. They walk past an angry man remonstrating with a cop.

"I have a right to protest. This man is a fraud. And he's milking all these people out of their hard-earned money." Says the brunet man.

"Sir, this is a place of worship. Let's go. Move it." Replies the officer. They walk away.

"I take it he's not part of the flock." Dean remarks.

"Are you kidding?" Buffy raises an eyebrow. "He's not even a bird, more like a cockroach or one of those annoying seagulls that always take your food at the beach."

"Well, when people see something they can't explain, there's controversy." Sam explains.

"I mean, come on guys, a faith healer?" Dean whines.

"Maybe it's time to have a little faith, Dean"

"You know what I've got faith in? Reality. Knowing what's really going on."

"How can you be a skeptic? With the things we see everyday?"

"Exactly. We see them, we know there real."

"Dean, If this doesn't work we can…" Buffy's words become close to inaudible as she whispers, "go to Sunnydale." The group comes to a sudden halt.

"Sunnydale?" Dean questions. Turning to look at her he continues, "As in the place you vouched never to go to again? You'd do that for me?"

"Yeah." Her voice grows in volume as she becomes more confident. "There is nothing in this world I wouldn't do for you." Dean's eyes shine in gratitude. A beat of silence passes until Buffy adds, "Or Sam." Sam nods and they continue walking. "So emotional moment aside, evil's out there but so is good. They have to balance the scales or something."

"Well its hard to see that when you've also seen what evil does to good people."

"Maybe God works in mysterious ways." Says a young woman who overhears their conversation.

"Darla?!" Buffy gasps.

"No, I'm sorry you must have me mistaken." She holds out her hand to Buffy, "Layla."

Buffy sticks her hand out cautiously but still clasps Layla's _warm_ hand into her own. Relief floods her features as she replies, "Sorry…just never mind. I'm Buffy and this is Sam and Dean."

"So, Dean" She turns to him, "if you're not a believer, then why are you here?"

"Well, apparently my brother here believes enough for the three of us." Dean replies snidely. Suddenly an older woman who resembles Layla walks over to the group. She puts her arm around her and says, "Come on, Layla. It's about to start." The women smiles at the remaining three and move inside the tent. Buffy nods at the tent, getting the hint, the brothers follow. As they enter they pass a sign that reads: _Welcome All Faiths. True Believers Revival._

* * *

People wander around trying to find seats in the inside of the tent, a small stage at the front has a lectern with candles on it. Dean observes the room with distaste when something catches his eye. "Yeah, peace, love, and trust all over." Buffy and Sam follow his gaze to a security camera. Dean starts to take a seat near the back of the room but Sam puts an arm around him and moves him toward the front with Buffy trailing behind them. "Come on."

"Don't!" Dean protests. "What are you doing? Let's sit here."

"We're sitting up front."

"What? Why?"

Sam moves Dean up the aisle. With Buffy acting as blockade, Dean has no chance of escape. "Come on."

Dean growls, "Oh, come on, Sam."

"You alright?" Buffy asks placing her hands on Dean's shoulder to steady him.

"This is ridiculous." He moves to slap her hands away but stops last minute. He was going to yell at her for touching him but thought, what the hell? I'm gonna die anyway, some Buffy handling, I can totally deal with. Unfortunately for him, Buffy removes her hands to point to the three empty seats behind Layla and her mother.

"Perfect." Sam says with a nod of approval.

"Yeah, perfect." Dean replies sarcastically.

Sam moves in first then Buffy. "You take the aisle." Buffy says to Dean. She tries to help Dean sit and surprisingly lets her. He knows if she were Sam - gross mental images flood his subconscious. He does NOT think of Sam in the ways he has thought of her - he would be pulling away, not wanting to show weakness, but with her it's different.

All of the sudden, a blind man who is wearing sunglasses, Roy Legrange, is helped to the lectern by a woman. "Each morning," he starts, "my wife, Sue Ann, reads me the news. Never seems good, does it?" The crowd murmurs in agreement. "Seems like there's always someone committing some immoral, unspeakable act." As he speaks Sam sees a table onstage, filled with religious items. He notices an old wooden cross that is topped by a smaller cross in a circle. "But, I say to you, God is watching."

"Yes he is." The crowd mutters.

"God rewards the good, and he punishes the corrupt." The crowd is nodding, cheering and murmuring at his words.

"It is the Lord who does the healing here friends. The Lord who guides me in choosing who to heal by helping me see into people's hearts." The crowds volume increases.

Dean whispers to both Sam and Buffy, "Yeah, and into their wallets."

"You think so, young man?" The crowd immediately falls silent as all eyes turn to Dean.

"Sorry." He replies, even though he and his companions know that he is unremorseful.

"No, no. Don't be." Roy reassures, "Just watch what you say around a blind man, we've got real sharp ears." The crowd laughs at his joke and once again quiets down when Roy speaks again, "What's your name, son?"

Dean hesitates. He doesn't want to do this but before he can tell the old guy off, he sees the hopeful look on Buffy's face. Not wanting to squash Buffy's hope, he clears his throat, "Dean."

"Dean." Roy nods to himself. "I want-I want you to come up here with me." The entire crowd claps except Layla and her mother who don't move. Sue Ann moves to centre stage, smiling at Dean.

Dean shakes his head, he wants to be healed, but he knows this is just a waste of time. "No, it's ok." He hates how Buffy's blinding smile melts from her face after he says those words.

"What are you doing?!" She whispers.

"You've come here to be healed, haven't cha?" Roy asks trying to understand the young man's reluctance. Most folks would have plowed through the entire crowd by now.

Dean hesitates again, "Well, yeah, but ahh…" The crowd claps and makes encouraging noises, "... maybe you should just pick someone else." Sam looks at Dean like he's insane, who could blame him?

"Oh, no. I didn't pick you, Dean, the Lord did." The crowd gets more excited, some people even cheering out words of, "That's right! Yeah! Come on!"

Sam looks like a child that was just granted an entire life supply of candy as he practically jumps out of his seat. "Get up there!" he says excitedly. Dean reluctantly rises and moves toward the stage. Sue Ann moves to assist and stands him next to Roy.

"You ready?" Roy asks.

"Look, no disrespect, but ahh, I'm not exactly a believer." Dean says quietly so the entire crowd, not to mention his trigger happy friends, won't hear.

Roy smiles at the man's lack of faith. "You will be, son. You will be." Loudly, Roy faces the crowd and says, "Pray with me, friends." The crowd lifts their arms up and joins hands with each other. Roy lifts his hands to the air, then places one on Dean's shoulder, then the other on the side of his head. "Alright now. Alright now." he says to himself. Dean's eyes glaze over, his knees weaken, and he sinks to his knees. Roy's hand remains on his head the entire time. Dean wobbles, his eyes fall back in his head, and he slips to the stage floor.

The minute Dean had hit the floor, Buffy had rushed to the stage, Sam a few steps behind her. "Dean!" Buffy yells frantically. The crowd starts clapping excitedly but they are unheard by Buffy, who grabs the front of Dean's blue hoodie. Dean's eyes burst open and he gasps. "Say something!" she demands.

Dean blinks groggily and looks up at Roy, who is standing above him, hands out from his sides, palms up, looking happy. Beside and slightly behind Roy a tall man in a black suit with white hair, very white skin and extremely wrinkled skin comes into focus. He stares at Dean then turns away and vanishes. Dean watches, shocked.

* * *

"So, you really feel okay?" Sam asks from his seat in the hospital's check up room. He and Buffy are sitting in two chairs that are across the room from Dean who is also sitting down.

Dean looks unhappy but answers, "I feel fine, Sam." It was a lie that Buffy had caught, he knew she had by the way her hazel eyes made contact with his. Even from her seat across the room, he could make out the tinge of sadness that flooded her features. The way her lips jutted out, the almost unnoticeable frown, and the sudden wringing of her hands, all signs of an upset Buffy. Her eyes drop down to the floor to avoid further analysis but it is too late, he knows she knows something. The way he was healed felt wrong to him and apparently it felt wrong to her too.

Before he can ask her thoughts on the matter, the door opens revealing Dean's doctor. Paperwork in hand, the doctor informs them that according to the tests, "…there's nothing wrong with your heart. No sign there ever was. Not that a man your age should be having heart trouble, but, still it's strange it does happen."

"What do you mean, strange?" Buffy asks, unable to remain silent any longer.

"Well, just yesterday, a young guy like you," the medic points to Dean, "twenty-seven, athletic. Out of nowhere, heart attack."

"Thanks, Doc." Dean says with a ghost of a smile on his lips. He was happy to be A-Okay, ecstatic even, but still, it didn't feel right.

"No problem."

"That's odd." Dean says once the Doc leaves.

"Maybe it's a coincidence. People's hearts give out all the time, man." Sam reasons.

"No, they don't." Buffy whispers, eyes locked on Dean's once again.

"Look, Dean," it take a surprising amount of willpower for Dean to disturb their eye contact so he can look at Sammy, "do we really have to look this one in the mouth? Why can't we just be thankful that the guy saved your life and move on?"

"Because I can't shake this feeling, that's why." Dean explains.

"What feeling?"

"When I was healed, I just...I felt wrong. I felt cold. And for a second...I saw someone. This, uh, this old man. And I'm telling you, Sam, it was a spirit."

"But if there was something there, Dean, I think I would've seen it, too. I mean, I've been seeing an awful lot of things lately."

"Well, excuse us, psychic wonder." Buffy adds sarcastically. "There was some wiggins going on from my end of the demonic pole but I was to occupied with collapse-o boy to check it out." She gives Dean a small smile to indicate that she was joking, and that it wasn't his fault she couldn't investigate. OK, major lie, she would crawl through hell just to make sure that he was all right, but now does not seem like the time nor place to discuss the fuzzy feelings she has for Dean - sex incarnate - Winchester. "I was hoping I was wrong but since Dean felt it too… Sam, I've been hunting long enough to trust a feeling like this." She adds gently.

Sam sighs, "Yeah, alright. So, what do you wanna do?"

"I want you two to go check out the heart attack guy." Dean states, "I'm gonna visit the reverend."

* * *

Dean is leaving the LeGrange's home, Roy's words still ringing in his head as he makes his way to the porch steeps, _"I looked into your heart, and you just stood out from all the rest." _Dean had asked what he saw in his heart, he was not expecting Roy's answer. _"A young man with an important purpose. A job to do. And it isn't finished." _To say he had been surprised would be an understatement. His job would NEVER be finished. There will always be another monster, another demon, another spirit lurking around the corner waiting to strike. No matter how many he fought, killed, or electrocuted there will always be more burgeoning in the shadows.

He sighs at his lengthy thoughts and walks down the porch steeps only to see Layla and her mother. The pair appear to be waiting to go in. "Dean, hey." Layla says warmly.

"Hey." He responds.

"How you feeling?" She asks generally curious.

"I feel good. Cured, I guess. What are you doing here?"

"You know, my mom, she wanted to talk to the reverend." The door opens causing three heads to turn and see Sue Ann on the porch.

"Layla?" She says, her tone is more understanding than questioning.

"Yes, I'm here again." Layla says softly.

"Well, I'm sorry, but Roy is resting. He won't be seeing anyone else right now."

"Sue Ann, please. This is our sixth time, he's got to see us." Layla's mother begs.

"Roy is well aware of Layla's situation. And he very much wants to help just as soon as the Lord allows. Have faith, Mrs. Rourke." Sun Ann practically preaches to the mother before going inside her home. Mrs. Rourke stares at the door with a look of longing before finally turning to Dean, accusation in her eyes.

"Why are you still even here? You got what you wanted." She asks Dean. Her voice is laced with the frustration she feels.

"Mom. Stop." Layla demands but it is not heeded for she says, "No, Layla, this is too much. We've been to every single service. If Roy would stop choosing these strangers over you. Strangers who don't even believe. I just can't pray any harder."

"Layla, what's wrong?" Dean asks, concerned.

"I have this thing…" She starts hesitantly.

Her mother picks up where she left off by adding, "It's a brain tumor. It's inoperable. In six months, the doctors say.…" She soon looses the ability to speak for she is to overcome by her emotions. Layla puts a hand on her mother's shoulder, stopping her.

"I'm sorry." Dean tells her.

"It's okay." Layla smiles slightly at his kindness.

Layla's mother turns and stares into her daughter's eyes, "No. It isn't." She turns to Dean. "Why do you deserve to live more than my daughter?" Mrs. Rourke doesn't wait for an answer, she walks away. Layla smiles sadly at Dean then take a deep shaky breath and follows her down the stairs. Dean watches them go, he still unable to answer that question.

"_A young man with an important purpose. A job to do. And it isn't finished."_

* * *

"I'm telling you, he seemed healthy. Swam every day, didn't smoke. So, a heart attack just kind of seemed, well, bizarre." Says an employee to the two 'detectives'. Both Sam and Buffy are trying to get answer from Mr. Strazzer, who is in the locker room at the local gym.

"And you said he was running, right before he collapsed?" Sam inquires.

"Yeah, yeah, he was freaking out. He said that something was, uh, was after him."

"Did he say what?" Buffy asks.

"Well, thin air is what. I mean, it wasn't anything."

"Thanks." Buffy says with a charming smile. As the two are leaving, Sam notices the clock on the wall isn't working.

"Hey, buddy? Your, uh, your clock's busted." Sam says, alerting the worker to the dysfunctional timepiece.

"Oh, yeah, we, uh, can't get it workin'. Just froze at 4:17."

"Is that the same time Marshall died?"

"How'd you know?" The employee looks surprised which in turn fills Buffy and Sam with dread. Damn it! Buffy sometimes really hated it when she was right.

* * *

Dean enters the dingy motel room he calls home (well at least for a few days) throws his keys on the bed and begins to take off his jacket. He is unsurprised to see his geek of a brother at his laptop but is shocked to see Buffy reading…the newspaper? "What'd you find out?" Dean asks.

"I'm sorry." Sam says quietly, Dean swears for a second he could almost detect a hint of self blame in Sam's voice. Dean throws his jacket on the bed and approaches Sam and Buffy who were sitting side by side. "Sorry about what?"

"Marshall Hall," Buffy takes a deep breath before continuing. "died at 4:17."

Dean looks stunned for a moment until he finally says, "The exact time I was healed."

"Yeah." Sam, with downcast eyes, tells Dean what they have learned since his leave of absence. "So, we put together a list of everyone Roy's healed, six people over the past year, and we cross-checked them with the local obits. Every time someone was healed, someone else died. And each time, the victim died of the same symptom LeGrange was healing at the time."

* * *

In a forest far, far away (A/N more like 20 min. but I always wanted to use that) a young woman is jogging along a path. Her ponytail swooshes against her green track suit with every forward movement. Her earphones that have been providing her 37 minutes of entertainment suddenly start playing 'Don't fear the Reaper' by Blue Oyster Cult.

* * *

"Someone's healed of cancer, someone else dies of cancer?"

"Somehow. LeGrange...he's trading a life for another."

* * *

The woman stops jogging, takes out an earphone and looks into the forest. "Hello?" she calls uncertainly. She got the strangest feeling that someone or something was watching her.

* * *

"Wait, wait, wait. So, Marshall Hall died to save me?" Dean asks.

Sam looks upset but answers, "Dean, the guy probably would've died anyway. And someone else would've been healed."

* * *

Back in Roy's church tent, Roy is once again using his 'gift' to heal someone. Today's patient is an old man in a wheelchair with an oxygen tube.

* * *

"You never should've brought me here." Dean says in disgust.

"Dean, I- we were trying to save your life." Sam says gloomily.

"But, Sam, some guy is dead now because of me."

"We didn't know." Buffy offers, her voice sounding defeated.

* * *

"Pray with me, friends." Roy commands. The crowd obliges, they lift their arms in the air and begin to watch in awe.

* * *

"The thing I don't understand is how is Roy doing it? How's he trading a life for a life?" Buffy asks with a puzzled expression.

"Oh, he's not doing it." Dean says positively.

* * *

The female jogger is leant over, gasping for breath.

* * *

"Something else is doing it for him."

"What do you mean?"

"The old man I saw on stage."

* * *

The woman turns, hoping to find someone to help her. The old man who Dean saw on stage is in front of her. She is startled by his twisted appearance.

* * *

"I didn't wanna believe it, but deep down I knew." Dean continues.

"You knew what? What are you talking about?" Sam asks, thoroughly befuddled.

"There's only one thing that can give and take life-like that. We're dealing with a reaper."

* * *

The woman flees down the path, looking back, terrified, and gasping. The reaper stares at her for a few seconds before following her calmly.

* * *

Roy lifts his hands to heaven, preparing to lay them on the old man.

* * *

The woman, exhausted now, looks behind her again. Once again she sees the reaper. When she turns forward she crashes into him and falls to her knees. The reaper lays his cold, dead hand on the right side of her face. Her eyes glaze over and become hazy at his touch.

* * *

Roy lays his hand on the old man's head.

* * *

The woman gasps for breath, her face pale. Her knees give out as she falls to the ground, dead.

* * *

The same reaper, invisible to the crowd, places his hand beside Roy's on the old man's head. The man rises from his wheelchair and falls to his knees. The color returns to his face and he slowly removes his oxygen tube. The crowd gasps and cheers. Roy smiles, and the crowd claps and cheers.

**Erase later but insert line**

Buffy, Sam, and Dean are sitting at the table near the corner of the crummy motel room.

"You really think it's THE Grim Reaper? Like, angel of death, collect your soul, the whole deal?" Sam asks, not very caught up with reaper lore.

"No no no, not THE reaper, a reaper. There's reaper lore in pretty much every culture on earth, it goes by 100 different names, it's possible that there's more than one of them." Dean reasons.

"But you said you saw a dude in a suit."

"What, you think he shoulda been working the whole black robe thing?...You said it yourself that the clock stopped right? Reapers stop time. And you can only see 'em when they're coming at you which is why I could see it and you couldn't."

"Maybe." Buffy says uncertainly. She has died one or twice she should remember a visit from the so called reaper, right?

"There's nothing else it could be Buff. The question is how is Roy controlling the damn thing?"

"That cross." Sam exclaims.

"What?"

"There was this cross, I noticed it in the church and I knew I had seen it before." Sam looks through some papers and snorts. He holds a card up to Dean and Buffy. "Here." Buffy snatches the card from Sam's hand and hold it in between herself and Dean.

"A tarot?" Buffy says skeptically.

"It makes sense. A tarot dates back to the early Christian era right, when some priests were still using magic? And a few of them veered into the dark stuff? Necromancy and how to push death away, how to cause it?" Sam explains.

"So Roy's using black magic to bind the reaper?" Dean questions.

"If he is he's riding the whirlwind. It's like putting a dog leash on a great white." Dean rises to put his cup in the sink, then leans against it.

"Ok then we stop Roy." Buffy says matter-of-factly.

By the look on Dean's face, he perfectly understood her and agreed with the blonde's plan, unlike Sam who was looking puzzled. "How?" Sam questions.

She gives Sam a knowing look, "You know how."

"Wait, what the hell are you talking about Buffy, we can't kill Roy."

"Sam the guys playing God, he's deciding who lives and who dies. That's a monster in my book and trust me I have a lot of books, possibly even a library."

"Are you sure you're talking about Roy here or…" Sam trails off once he sees the death glare that Buffy is directing to him. The look told him everything he needed to know, she was over her death, over heaven, but her friends -ex-friends?- were off-limits. The only way they would talk about them would be if she brought them up, which was something he could understand. "We're not going to kill a human being Buffy. We do that we're no better than he is."

Dean beats her to answering Sam's question by butting in with, "Ok, we cant kill Roy, we can't kill death. Any bright ideas college boy?" Buffy glances at Dean, a small, sad smile on her face as a sign of gratitude. He gives her a bigger smile in return that makes her heart beat wildly before turning back to Sam, only to see that he is too involved in planning to see the small exchange.

"Ok. Uh…" Sam stops to think for a second before continuing, "If Roy's using some kind of black spell on the reaper, we gotta...figure out what it is. And how to break it."

* * *

The Impala bounces down the badly graveled and potholed road again, passing a sign that says, 'Service Today.' They park and exit the Impala. "If Roy's using a spell, there might be a spell book." Sam informs them.

"See if you guys can find it." Dean says while looking at his watch. "Hurry up too, the service starts in fifteen minutes. I'll try to stall Roy."

A man walks up to Dean and hands him a leaflet to Dean. "Roy LeGrange is a fraud. He's no healer." He says confidently.

Dean takes the leaflet, "Amen Brother." He says at the same time Sam utters, "You keep up the good work." Buffy nods in approval; the group walks off, leaving the man alone. Before they can get out of hearing range he yells, "Thank you"

Roy comes down the stairs of his house, assisted by Sue Ann on one arm, a dark-haired man the other. Luckily, on their downward descent they don't notice Sam and Buffy, watching them leave from the corner of the porch.

The two climb in a window and starts searching the house after the three leave. Together, they walk towards the bookshelf. Buffy notices that only one book doesn't have dust on the shelf in front of it. She removes it from its spot of the shelf and hands the book to Sam. Impressed at her findings, he takes the offered book and reads the title: 'Encyclopedia of British History.' He flips through it, finding nothing, then realizes there is another, smaller book, hidden on the bookshelf behind the larger one. Buffy watches him as he finds a picture of a skeleton reaper, and on another page the wooden cross he saw earlier in the tent. He also finds newspaper articles about the people who died. The one that died for Dean was an openly gay teacher, the woman jogging, an abortion rights advocate. He finds a third clipping about Wright, the man handing out leaflets in front of the tent.

Dean is walking slowly up the side aisle when suddenly his phone rings. "What have you got?" He asks speaking into phone

"Wow, doesn't anyone say hello anymore?" Buffy responds in a teasing tone.

"Buffy." Dean warns but he finds that he is trying to suppress a smile.

"Fine. Turns out Roy's is choosing his vics that he sees as immoral. Sam and I think we know who's next on his list. Remember that protestor? The guy that was anything but dollsome?"

"What, the guy in the parking lot?"

"Yeah. Yeah, well find him. But you can't let Roy heal anyone, alright?" Dean hangs up and moves further toward the front of the tent.

"Doesn't anyone say goodbye anymore?" Buffy mumbles to Sam as she closes the phone. Sam smiles at her quip then the two of them start searching the car park.

"Layla. Layla Rourke. Come up here child." Roy says from inside his church tent. The crowd bursts into pleased applause. Layla, stunned, looks around then rises to hug her mother who looks as if she is close to tears.

"Mum. Thank you." Layla whispers into her mother's ear.

"I love you child." She murmurs back.

Dean watches them hug, for he is standing close by them. "Oh man." He says quietly to himself. As Layla passes him Dean grasps her arm. "Layla, listen to me. You can't go up there."

"Why not? We've waited for months!."

"You can't let Roy heal you." Dean says with regret.

"I don't understand, Roy healed you didn't he? Why can't you let him try?"

"Cause if you do something bad is going to happen. I can't explain. I just need you to believe me." Dean and Layla stare at each other for what feels like a million years. Nearby, Sue Ann stands waiting.

Sue Ann holds out her hand, "Layla."

"Please." Dean begs one more time. Layla stares at the hand Sue Ann is offering, then turns back and stares at her mother, who is standing wringing her hands. Her mother nods at her. Layla looks at Dean and shakes her head.

"I'm sorry." She says as she leaves. He can only watch as she walks away, knowing that calling her name would be useless, he remains silent.

Sue Ann, smiling and putting her arm around Layla to take her to the stage, praises, "Dear child!" The crowd continues to clap happily. "You deserve this." Sue Ann says softly as they make it to the stage.

Roy takes Layla's hand, "I knew the Lord was planning. I knew it was just a matter of time." Dean, frustrated, moves back to stand near Mrs. Rourke. She is crying and covering her face to try and hide the happy tears. Dean looks on sadly, knowing what he has to do.

* * *

Sam and Buffy are still searching the parking lot when suddenly their target find them…sort of. Wright runs around a car, the reaper following slowly, "HELP!" He bellows. Buffy, using her Slayer hearing, follows the scream, Sam in tow.

"Pray with me friends." Roy says to the crowd. "I hope you're ready." Roy directs to Layla.

Layla smiles softly, "I am."

* * *

Hoping that someone will hear him, Wright screeches, "Help! Help me please!" It was almost like his wishes were granted, for two people came towards him running like a bat out of hell. Sam and Buffy look around wildly. "Where is he!" Sam asks.

Wright grabs the closest shoulder (Buffy's) and points, "Right there!"

Buffy grabs Wright and pulls him away. "Come on." The trio runs hoping to avoid the unavoidable, death.

* * *

Roy is about to lay his hands on Layla, who looks enraptured when suddenly Dean yells, "FIRE! Hurry, tent's on fire!" Layla opens her eyes and looks toward the crowd. Everyone starts to rise and evacuate in a frantic manner.

Mrs. Rourke moves toward the stage, "NO! No, please. Please don't stop. Reverend, please, please! Please don't stop, please!" She begs, her eyes flooding with tears. Dean watches helplessly from a safe distance.

Roy ignores her, and addresses the frantic, loud people remaining in the tent. "Friends, if you'd all just leave the tent in an orderly fashion...and we'll, uh, and we'll figure out what's going on out there and we'll come back."

Dean pulls out his phone and calls Sam, "I did it, I stopped Roy." He says, a hint of shame in his voice.

* * *

Sam is holding the phone to his ear while David Wright looks around madly, ignoring Buffy's attempt to calm him.

"David, I think it's ok." Buffy says soothingly. Her words finally seem to get through his thick skull because David slowly looks around one more time, then at Buffy, then at Sam, and finally turns back. Only to find that the reaper is in front of him.

"No!" Wright shouts.

"Dean it didn't work. The reaper's still coming!" Sam tells Dean via phone.

* * *

Back at the church, Dean is still on the phone and is in the process of telling Sam how it DID work.

"I'm telling you, I'm telling you it didn't work. Roy must not be the one controlling this thing." Sam says exasperated.

"Then who the hell is?" Dean roars back. Dean looks around and spies Sue Ann beside the stage, facing the corner and reciting. "Sue Ann." He says less angrily. Dean runs to her and spins her around. She gasps and stops reciting, reaching down to hold a cross on a chain around her neck. It is the same as the wooden cross Sam saw earlier.

* * *

The reaper has his shriveled hand on David's face in the car parking lot. Buffy and Sam can only watch helplessly as David gasps in pain. There was nothing to fight, nothing to slay, nothing to hunt. The reaper suddenly removes his hand, looks confuse, and gets up from his crouched position.

* * *

Sue Ann stares at Dean for a moment, then tucks the cross under her blouse. Before Dean can say anything, Sue Ann cries out for help. Dean backs away, nodding and staring at Sue Ann like he shouldn't have expected anything better. Two cops grab him roughly and pull him away.

* * *

The reaper stares at Wright lying on the ground, who is taking in lung full's of air, then turns away and vanishes. Sam and Buffy move to help him up since he had fallen on the pavement the moment the reaper had laid his cold hand on David's warm face. "We got you. We got you." Sam assures him.

"Thank God." David ironically wheezes.

* * *

Two cops manhandle Dean through the entry of the church tent. He shakes them off as soon as they are outside. Sue Ann follows close behind. "I just don't understand. After everything we've done for you. After Roy healed you. I'm just very, very disappointed Dean." She shakes her head solemnly. Dean stares at her, saying nothing. "You can let him go. I'm not gonna press charges. The Lord will deal with him as he sees fit." She tells the officers. Sue Ann leaves, feeling but not commenting on Dean's death glare that is directed at her.

The cops turn to Dean which breaks the his fiery gaze. "We catch you round here again son, we'll put the fear of God in you, understand?" One cop says, trying to be threatening but considering the things Dean has seen, he seems more like an annoying toddler.

"Yes sir, fear of god. Got it." Dean strains to remain straight-faced as he replies. The cops give him one last push before leaving the scene. He turns to find Layla waiting for him. "Layla?" He questions.

"Why would you do that Dean?" Layla asks with tears in her eyes. "And it could have been my only chance."

"He's not a healer." Dean

"He healed you." She retorts.

"I know it doesn't seem fair, and I wish I could explain. But Roy is not the answer, I'm sorry." Dean tries to justify.

She shakes her head sadly and says, "Good Bye Dean." She walks away. Dean raises his eyes to the sky, then turns to watch her. She turns back, "I wish you luck. I really do."

Dean's voice cracks, something that he never admit to Sammy, "Same to you." Layla turns to walk away again. "You deserve it a lot more than me." Dean mutters under his breath.

Layla walks towards her mother, who is talking to Roy and Sue Ann.

"Private session tonight, no interruptions. I give you my word, I'll heal your daughter." Roy tells Mrs. Rourke. Dean walks past behind them to where Sam and Buffy are waiting. The entire group overhears, exchanges knowing looks, and look sad when they hear Mrs. Rourke's hopeful voice, "Thank you reverend. God bless you."

* * *

Sam is sitting on the motel bed, Buffy next to him as Dean paces. "Roy really believes." Sam states.

Dean stops his pacing to look at them both. "I don't think he has any idea what his wife's doing."

"Well, we found this." Buffy says, handing the little book that she and Sam found earlier to Dean. "Hidden in their library, sadly it wasn't like the cool hidden bookshelf things. Ya know? Like when you pull a book off the shelf and then the wall disappears and then there's a secret room and then I'm getting off topic… Anyway it's written by a priest who went dark side, like Vader but darker. There's a binding spell in here for trapping a reaper."

"Must be a hell of a spell." Dean inputs.

"Yeah. You gotta build a black alter with seriously dark stuff. Bones, human blood. To cross a line like that, a preachers wife. Black magic. Murder. Evil." Sam describes.

"Desperate. Her husband was dying, she didn't have anything to save him. She was using the binding spell to keep the reaper away from Roy." Buffy says. Her voice becomes softer as she continues, "I'd do it. Right person. Person I loved. I'd do it." Dean couldn't help but gulp at her words.

"Cheating death." Sam paraphrases.

"Literally."

"Yeah but Roy's alive, so why is she still using the spell?" Dean asks.

"To force the reaper to kill people she thinks are immoral." Sam clarifies.

"May God save us from half the people who think they're doing God's work."

"Preaching to the choir. Oh bad choice of words." Buffy says truthfully. "We gotta break that binding spell guys."

Dean, looking at the picture of the cross in the book, says, "You know Sue Ann had a Coptic cross like this. When she dropped it the reaper backed off."

"So you think we gotta find the cross or destroy the altar?"

"Maybe both. Whatever we do we better do it soon, or he's healing Layla tonight."

"Oh goodie, we get to go ruin someone's life." Buffy gets up from the bed, and opens the door. "It must be Tuesday." She slams the door shut and walks to the Impala.

* * *

The Impala rolls in without its headlights on so it won't disrupt the night and stops in the parking lot of the church tent. All three are sitting in the front, Buffy is somewhat squished between Sam and Dean so that she would be able to help stake out the place easier. Shoulder to shoulder (to shoulder?) the trio looks for any signs of danger before Sam finally speaks up.

"That's Layla's car. She's already here." Sam says looking at a blue sedan.

Buffy and Dean nod sadly but it is Dean that replies, "Yeah."

"Dean...Buffy…"

"You know if Roy woulda picked Layla instead of me she'd be here right now. And if she's not healed tonight she's gunna die in a coupla months."

"What's happening to her is horrible. But what are you gunna do? Let somebody else die to save her? You said it yourself Dean, you can't play God." Buffy reaches over and grabs Dean's hand. She gives it a little squeeze before Sam speaks again, "I get why Dean's upset," Sam turns to Buffy, "why are you?"

"Layla looks like this vamp that got staked pre-Winchesters." Buffy explains. "Darla. It just feels like I'm a horrible person cause here she is, Darla 2.o, she's gonna die, and I can't help it. I mean Darla was a total bitca but…You can't play God." The three sit without speaking for a few minutes until Dean gets out of the car, Buffy and Sam follow. They approach the tent and peek inside. Roy is speaking to a small group of the faithful, including Layla and her mother.

"Gather round, please everyone, gather round. Come in closer, come on up." Roy says to his audience.

"Where's Sue Ann?" Dean whispers. If she wasn't at the service, than there was only one other place she could be.

"House." Buffy answers. They all start walking to the house when Dean suddenly says, "Go find Sue Ann, I'll catch up."

He starts to push his companions away, "What are you gunna-?" Sam asks, while Buffy just looks pissed.

Dean spies the two cops from earlier coming down the stairs, confident that they won't chase after Sam and Buffy he calls, "Hey!" The cops look over. "You gunna put that fear of God in me?" The cops drop their coffee, sending the caffeine everywhere, and run at Dean, who takes off.

As soon as they're gone Sam and Buffy run up the stairs and check around the house. It is in darkness. They turn back, perplexed, then spot a light emerging from the cracks of the outside basement entrance.

* * *

Dean silently creeps up beside a camper van. The cops are on the other side with flashlights.

"You see him?" One asks the other.

"Nah."

Dean slowly rises next to the passenger window of the camper van, looking behind him. A large dog jumps at the window, barking wildly and he leaps back. On the other side of the van the cops shine their lights underneath, optimistic that they will see the silhouette of a man's shoes. They see nothing but the dog continues barking which one officer labels as, "Psycho mutt."

They move on, never noticing that Dean is on the roof. He looks around tensely, then sags against the roof.

* * *

Sam and Buffy move toward the basement entrance, they opens the doors and slip inside. Together, they move quietly through the basement to a candlelit alter littered with parts of dead animals such as, blood, horns, bones, and anything else your gory mind can think of. There is a photo in the middle of Dean, taken from the security camera the first time they were in the tent, before he was healed. His face has been crossed out with a dark red, sticky substance. Blood.

Buffy stiffens, which Sam but before he can ask what's wrong, Sue Ann's voice pierces the air. "I gave your brother life and I can take it away."

Buffy is furious at the thought of her hurting Dean. She just got him back. She tips over the table the altar is on while Sam runs then runs at Sue Ann but she is already up the stairs. She closes the hatches and secures it with a beam. Sam stretches to push against them and keeps trying, but it is no use. Sam is not strong enough to break it and Buffy is too short to reach.

"Sam, can't you see? The Lord chose me to reward the just and punish the wicked. And your brother is wicked and he deserves to die just as Layla deserves to live. It is God's will." Sue Ann calls through the thick doorway. Sam and Buffy turn to survey the room. "Goodbye Sam. Goodbye Buffy."

Buffy quickly moves towards a wall, pulls a block off wood out from it, and tries to smash out a small boarded up window. Ignoring the blood that runs down her fingers, she continues to punch out the wood, knowing that Dean could die any minute, any second if they were just a millisecond late. No pressure, Summers.

* * *

"Mrs Rourke, pray with me now." Roy says taking her hand, " Pray with me friends."

* * *

Dean is heading toward the tent when some lights go out. He stops, looking behind him, and watches the line of lights lighting the path go out one by one. He turns back to see the reaper walking toward him at an unruly pace.

* * *

Raising his hands, Roy tells his followers, "All right now. All right." Roy places his hand on Layla's head. Just outside the door Sue Ann is reciting Latin and holding the cross in her hands.

* * *

The reaper places his hand on the side of Dean's head. Dean convulses once he makes contact.

* * *

Inside the church Layla is sinking to her knees, outside Dean is doing the same. His eyes glaze over just like the other victims.

* * *

Sue Ann is reciting, holding up the cross when suddenly Buffy appears. She grabs it and throws it aside, breaking a glass bottle of blood. "Hey Sue Ann," She greets, "Next time you try to kill someone I care about, make sure you have a good prison. Let me tell ya I've been captured a few time, so has my sister, and your 'entrapment' was the worst by far. I mean you didn't even have an annoying minion." Sue Ann can only stare in shock at the escapee and her companion, who is out of breath from running.

* * *

The reaper stops what he is doing and looks up. Dean falls to the ground gasping, in pain, but saved.

* * *

Roy raises his hand from Layla's head, confused. "I don't understand…" He says bewildered.

"I don't...feel any different...?" Layla states.

* * *

Sue Ann falls to her knees beside the blood. "My God, what have you done!" She cries looking up at Buffy.

"He's not your God." Buffy says so calmly that it is frightening, even to Sam who has seen things that would drive most people insane.

* * *

Layla looking up at Roy, confused, "Reverend?"

"Sue Ann?"

* * *

Outside, Sue Ann looks up and see's the reaper. He smiles at her. Terrified, she rises and turns to run. The reaper is there. He places his hand on her head, her eyes glaze over and she falls to her knees. After a moment, still smiling, he allows her to slip to the ground where she convulses once, twice, and dies. The reaper watches, looking satisfied.

Leaving her lying there, Buffy and Sam turn to go to look for Dean.

* * *

Dean makes it back to the Impala just as Sam and Buffy approach.

"You Ok?" Buffy asks, her concern shocking Sam since he had heard her almost evil like tone she had used when speaking to Sue Ann.

Dean shakes his head, "Hell of a week."

"Hell of a lifetime." She retorts.

"Yeah...All right, come on. We should get going." Sam says. They enter the car, the brothers in the front, Slayer in the back.

* * *

Dean sits on the motel bed, staring at nothing. Sam and Buffy are both watching him but it is Buffy that asks what is wrong. "What is it?"

"Nothing." Buffy waits a few seconds.

"What is it?" She asks even more gently as if dealing with a scared child.

"We did the right thing here didn't we?"

"Of course we did."

Dean hangs his head, "It doesn't feel like it."

"Sometimes…the right thing still the wrong thing. We can't save everybody." A knock at the door stops them.

"I got it." Sam says walking towards the door. He opens the door as Dean turns to look. It is Layla. "Hey Layla. Come on in."

"Hey." She responds with a smile. She enters which makes Dean quickly rise.

"How did you know we were here?" Dean asks.

"Buffy...called. She said you...wanted to say goodbye?" Dean glances at Buffy, who is looking sheepish.

"We're gunna...grab a soda. Right Sam?" Sam nods wanting to give them privacy. They leave, closing the door behind them.

"So, uh. Where are you going?" She asks.

"Don't know yet. Our work kinda takes us all over."

She watches Dean in silence for a moment. "You know...I went back to see Roy."

Dean nods, "What happened?"

Layla sits on one of the beds, "Nothing. He laid his hands on my forehead but nothing happened."

Dean sits beside her, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry it didn't work."

"And Sue Ann. She's dead you know? Stroke."

"Yeah I heard. You know Roy's a good man. He doesn't deserve what's happened." Dean looks at Layla. "Must be rough. To believe in something so much, and have it disappoint you."

"You wanna hear something weird?" Layla says smiling. Dean turns to look at her. "I'm Ok. Really. I guess if you're gunna have faith...you can't just have it when the miracles happen. You have to have it when they don't."

"So what now?"

Layla smiles softly, "God works in mysterious ways." Layla lays her hand softly on the side of Dean's face, staring at him. "Take it from me Dean, you don't have as much as you think. Don't let life pass you by, the thing you want most could be right under your nose. Be happy. Good Bye Dean." She rises and moves toward the door. Dean closes his eyes for a second and contemplates her words.

Dean rises and turns to face Layla, "Well.…" he clears his throat as Layla turns back to face him, "I'm not much of the praying type...but...I'm gunna pray for you."

Layla eye's shine with unshed tears, "Well...There's a miracle right there." Layla turns and leaves the room. Dean stands staring at the door only for it to open a second later, reveling Buffy.

"Dean, sorry. Sam forgot his money and he was being a gigantic chicken so…" She walks past Dean, picks up the load of singles on the dresser, stuffs them in her jeans pocket, and walks past him once again only to find the he has grabbed her arm in a death grip. "Dean?" She asks, her eyes meeting his.

_The thing you want most could be right under your nose. _He was tired of the flittering, the stolen glances when the other believed no one was looking. He loved her smile, her walk, her talk, her appearance, her attitude, everything. Life was/is short for Slayers and hunters. Who knows, they could die tomorrow, they can't be sure of anything. She lit up a room, when she walked in every man's head turned including his. He wanted the unattainable, he wanted, wants Buffy Summers. When they were on a hunt she was amazing, even greater -if possible- when they were just being people. Not a Slayer nor a hunter, just Dean Winchester and Buffy Anne Summers. He wants body, mind, heart, and soul from this magnificent girl, a thought that would normally scare him, but not with her.

He then does something he could only dream about.

He kissed her.

* * *

**AN Longest chapter ever! Comp. says 29 pages, (I hope to shorten) I apologize for a few things.**

**1. The long wait**

**2. The long chapter**

**3. And how there will not be **_**another chapter until January **_**sometime…. Yeah turns out holiday things I have to attend… But I will right chapters! So I can post on time, can you imagine that. The reason this was so long was cause I wrote it (would have been on time) but it sounded crappy! So I rewrote, then rewrote again, im still not pleased with this but leave thoughts/ opinions by dropping me a review. **

**Oh p.s. route 666 I hate this eppy so NO chapter on that.**

**Have a great holiday season, update soon (January) :D**


	10. Chapter 10: Nightmare

**The End or the Beginning?**

**Chapter 10: Nightmare**

**I saw a few stories resembling this and wanted to take a stab at it. I heard it was originally a challenge but I'm not sure so…. Anyway….. Also in my story Buffy died in 2004/2005 so it's the start of Supernatural's season 1.**

**Sam and Dean find Buffy after she rises from her grave and things take off from there. A Buffy and Sam friendship and eventually Buffy/Dean **

**I don't own anything that you recognize!**

**I'm not an experienced dater…so I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm ashamed to say I had to read a lot of fanfics to get a good idea on how to write this and listen to some Lana Del Rey, let's hope I don't completely suck. **

**P.S. I did the kiss in the past tense 'cause it sounded weird present.**

* * *

_"Dreams? That would be the musical comedy version of this. Our nightmares_

_are coming true."- Giles Season 1 (Nightmares)_

**Then**

"Dean, sorry. Sam forgot his money and he was being a gigantic chicken so…" Buffy walked past Dean, picked up the load of singles on the dresser, stuffed them in her jeans pocket, and walked past him once again only to find the he had grabbed her arm in a death grip. "Dean?" She asked, her eyes meeting his.

_The thing you want most could be right under your nose. _He was tired of the flirting, the stolen glances when the other believed no one was looking. He loved her smile, her walk, her talk, her appearance, her attitude, everything. Life was/is short for Slayers and hunters. Who knows, they could die tomorrow, they can't be sure of anything. She lit up a room, when she walked in every man's head turned including his. He wanted the unattainable, he wanted, wants Buffy Summers. When they were on a hunt she was amazing, even greater -if possible- when they were just being people. Not a Slayer nor a hunter, just Dean Winchester and Buffy Anne Summers. He wants body, mind, heart, and soul from this magnificent girl, a thought that would normally scare him, but not with her.

He then does something he could only dream about.

He kissed her.

At first the petite blonde was stiff in his arms but soon her body melts into his as if it was it was made to. Her eyes fluttered closed on their own accord. Shock, confusion, warmth, happiness, hope, and thousands of more unknown emotions filled Buffy to the core of her being. With a sigh she threw her arms around Dean's neck, then slowly moved her hands up to his head to play with his short, sandy blonde hair. Tongues dueled, one tasting of whiskey, the other vanilla, a strange concoction that seemed to work beautifully. Dean's hands were tangled in her hair when the kiss finally ended due to the air that was highly required.

Both panting from lack of oxygen and intense pleasure, they rested their foreheads against each other. Dean's eyes bored into Buffy's, searching for something that he must have found because his face had taken the smile of a happy drunken man's. Once seeing the look at happiness plastered on Dean's face, a smile slowly crept onto her face as well. "I'm crazy about you, Summers," Dean murmured huskily. A small blush tinted Buffy's cheeks which in turn made Dean chuckle.

"I'm not really good at this but… I known I'm not the world's best person but you, you make me want to be. You're amazing, and funny, and a total badass. I like you, I mean I really, really do, god, I'm turning this into a chick-flick moment aren't I? Anyway I know you feel something, I do. I want to give this thing, us a chance." He watched her face the entire time hoping to see some kind of reaction, but nothing came. "Ya know, normally a girl would have said something by now. 'Do that ever again and I'll make you a women' or something like that. Some words would be reassuring ya know?" Her smile got even bigger (if at all possible) as she pulled him down for another kiss but before whispered a small message of, "I thought you'd never ask."

After some intense kissing it was decided that yes they were an item, yes Buffy would get to sit in the front seat more often, and no Sam would not be told right away. It took Dean a few minutes to fully understand Buffy's thought process, but once he did it made sense. His young, _blonde _girlfriend had died only a few months ago, in a way it was cruel taunting if Sam saw their happiness while he was still miserable. They would tell Sam but now seemed, unfair, cruel, and mocking. So for now, their newfound relationship would remain a secret.

* * *

**Now (a.k.a three days later)**

Night has fallen over a suburban neighborhood. A man drives down the street in his Michigan plated car, into his garage and turns off the engine. The garage door starts winding down by itself and he looks at it, confused. His car doors then self lock. The brown-haired man struggles but cannot open them. The ignition key turns by itself and the engine starts. Exhaust smoke begins filling the garage. The man struggles to turn off the engine to no avail. The radio flicks on, the channels are moving from sports to music as the man begins to cough. "Help. Somebody help me!" He chokes out. The 36-year-old man lays on his back and tries to kick the window out but his job seems fruitless due to the fact that he doesn't even make a crack. By now the smoke is very thick and he stops struggling as he falls into unconsciousness.

* * *

In the motel room that Buffy, Sam, and Dean are sharing, the three sleep peacefully. Buffy and Dean are sharing the same bed but appear to be as far away from each other as possible, but if you would look under the sheets, you would see that the legs of the two blonde's are intertwined. Suddenly both Sam and Buffy jolt awake. Sam looks across to where Dean remains to sleep tranquilly. His eyes dart to Buffy, silently asking for conformation she had just had the alarming dream as well. Once he sees her small nod, they move into action. Sam flips on the light switch while Buffy starts to shake his brother.

"Dean. Dean," They both call. The moment Dean stirs, Sam rises and starts gathering his things.

Dean rubs his eyes in away that reminds Buffy as a child as he asks, "What are you doing man, it's the middle of the night." Dean raises himself on his elbows only to see that Buffy was alert as his brother, just more content to stay in bed. A small smirk tries to appear on his face but now was not the time to make jokes, something was seriously wrong.

"We have to go," Buffy clarifies and jumps out of bed. She joins Sam in the task of gathering their things.

"What's happening?"

"We have to go. Right now," Sam says while grabbing his bag. And before Dean can question him any further he is out the door. He turns to Buffy only to see that her slaying abilities must help in packing because she is already done.

Knowing what he is going to ask, she says, "We'll explain in the car. Move!"

* * *

On the road, Dean is driving while Sam makes a phone call. Buffy is leaning over the seat, her attention solely on the phone…and okay maybe a little bit on her hunky boyfriend but could you blame her? It was amazing to have the words come off her lips, Dean Winchester _her_ boyfriend. Just the thought gave her tingles. _Get your head in the game Summers,_ she chastises to herself as she hears Sam talking to the police officer.

Sam is reading from a Michigan State Police ID as he says, "McReady. Detective McReady. Badge number 158. I've got a signal 480 in progress, I need the registered owner of a two door sedan, Michigan license plate Mary-Frank-six-zero-three-seven. Yeah ok, just hurry."

"Sammy relax. I'm sure it's just a nightmare," Dean says trying to relax his agitated brother and his almost as agitated girlfriend. It felt wonderful to have the words come out of his mouth, Buffy Summers _his_ girlfriend. Just the thought gave him chills. _Get your head in the game Winchester,_ he scolds to himself. _You can day-dream about your totally hot girlfriend later._

"Yeah, tell me about it," Sam responds dryly.

"I mean it. Y'know, a normal, everyday, naked-in-class, nightmare. This license plate, it won't check out. You'll see."

"It felt different Dean. Real. Like when I dreamt about our old house. And Jessica. And if it's just a nightmare then why did Buffy and I both dream it?"

"Yeah, that makes sense. You're dreaming about our house, your girlfriend. Buffy dreamed about this stuff after she met us. This guy in your dream, you guys ever seen him before?"

"No."

"No but-" Buffy starts only to be interrupted by Dean.

"No. Exactly. Why would you have premonitions about some random dude in Michigan."

"I don't know. None of this makes sense. It's almost as if I'm tapping into Sam's dreams."

"What do ya mean?"

"My prophecy dream were never this clear. Maybe I'm, I don't know 'watching' yours."

"Aw come on, they couldn't have been that bad," Sam states.

"One time Willow was talking in French to a monkey about hippos and pants." (A/N that did happen. Season 2 Surprise Will talks about a hippo stealing the monkey's pants fyi)

"Umm well when you put it like that." Suddenly someone is on the other line of Sam's phone. He puts it back up to his ear and say, "Yes I'm here." He listens, glares at Dean, then picks up his pen. "Jim Miller. Saginaw, Michigan. You have a street address? Got it. Thanks." While hanging up his phone, Sam gives Dean a I-told-you-so look and says, "Checks out. How far are we?"

"From Saginaw? Coupla hours," Dean replies.

Sam gives Buffy a quick glance before turning to look out the window. In unison both worried parties command Dean to, "Drive faster."

* * *

A coupla hours later, the Impala cruises to a stop at Jim Miller's house. The group sees emergency vehicles and someone on a stretcher being zipped into a body bag. They turn to each other in the car. Dean is concerned, while Sam and Buffy are distraught over the person they were unable to save.

Dean approaches the watching crowd. He stops by a friendly, elderly looking woman and asks, "What happened?"

"Suicide. Can't believe it," she answers. Sam and Buffy come up behind and stand on the woman's other side, "Did you know them?" Sam questions.

"Saw him in every Sunday at St Augustines. He always seems...seemed, so normal." She corrects herself. It seemed unreal to be talking her 'normal' church goer in the past tense. "I guess you never know what's going on behind closed doors."

Buffy stares straight ahead as she answers, "Guess not." She was so engrossed in watching the events play across the street that she was barely paying attention. Forcing herself back to the conversation, she clears her throat, turns to the woman, and says, "How did...ahh. How are they saying it happened?"

"I heard they found him in the garage, locked inside his car with the engine running."

"Do you know about what time they found him?" Sam questions.

"Oh it just happened about an hour or two ago. His poor family. I can't even imagine what they're going through."

Sam turns to watch, much like Buffy is doing, and sees a woman standing on the front step of the house, crying and leaning against a middle-aged man. A young man stands behind them, looking distraught. The two watch, grimacing, then turn to walk away. Dean notices and follows them back to lean against the Impala's hood.

"Guys, we got here as fast we could," Dean says trying to lessen their feelings of failure.

"Not fast enough. It doesn't make any sense man. Why would we even have these premonitions if there wasn't a chance we could stop them from happening?" Sam asks, feeling perplexed.

"I dunno," Buffy starts, "Sometimes…your not supposed to stop them from happening."

Sam shakes his head and sighs, "So what do you think killed him?"

"Maybe the guy just killed himself? Maybe there's nothing supernatural going on at all," Dean suggests.

Buffy shakes her head as Sam says, "I'm telling you, I watched it happen. Buffy watched it happen. He was murdered by something Dean. We watched it trap him in the garage."

"What was it, a spirit, poltergeist, what?"

Sam starts to get a little worked up as he hears Dean's rising tone. "I don't know what it was. I don't know why I'm having these dreams, I don't know what the hell is happening Dean." Dean stares at Sam and Buffy for a long moment. "What."

Dean shrugs, "Nothing."

"No, Dean you have something face," Buffy reproaches. "If you have something to say, go ahead."

"I'm just, I'm worried about you Sam. For Buff this stuffs normal but…"

"Well, don't look at me like that!" Sam cries.

Dean looks away, "I'm not looking at you like anything." Dean glances back at them, "Though I gotta say, you do look like crap." Buffy gives him a glare that could send the scariest men home and crying for their mommies. "But Buffy you look great."

"I know I do." She informs him with a smirk as she moves to go inside the car. Dean follows suit and opens the door on his side of the car, silently wishing he could sit in the back with her or even better, her in the front with him. But he resists, after all he can't raise suspicions.

"Come on, lets just pick this up in the morning. We'll check out the house, talk to the family."

"Dean, you saw them, they're devastated They're not going to want to talk to us."

Dean thinks for a moment until a brilliant idea comes to mind. "Yeah you're right. But I think I know who they will talk to."

"Who?" Buffy and Sam ask simultaneously. Dean's only answer is a smirk.

* * *

The sun has risen and it is a new day as Buffy, Sam, and Dean walk towards the Miller house. As they are walking along the cement pathway to the house Sam informs them that, "This has gotta be a whole new low for us."

"Low for you?" Buffy says incredulously. "I was in a Heaven like dimension, I'll be lucky if I ever get back in. I can't believe you actually made me agree to do this."

"it shouldn't take that long anyway." Dean notifies her. "Sorry for the inconvenience," He smiles at Buffy to show he is joking until he adds, "Sister." Which immediately makes her smile grow wider opposed to the frown Sam believed she would be wearing.

"Sam, why haven't I strangled him yet?" She asks jokingly.

"Oh you love me and you know it." Dean quips before Sam can respond.

"In your dreams," As an afterthought she adds, "Father."

"Don't know about mine, but I'm surely in yours." Sam watches in fascination at their open…flirting? That talk he was gonna have with Dean? Let's reschedule that for as soon as possible. The trio makes it up to the door. Dean lifts his hand (which is wearing his silver ring) and pushes the doorbell. The man comforting Ms. Miller on the step the night before opens the door. Once as he opens it he sees Dean and Sam dressed in priest outfits. Buffy is also in black attire but as a nun. Her sliver cross shines brightly in the sun as Dean says, "Good Afternoon. I'm Father Simmons, this is Father Frehley." He gives the man their pseudonyms, silently hoping he isn't a closet KISS fan. Seeing no reaction had taken place he continues. "We're new junior priests over at St Augustines and this is our Sister, Mary Margaret. May we come in?"

The man nods. "Thanks," Buffy says as they walk into the home.

Sam offers his condolences, "We're very sorry for your loss."

"It's in difficult times like these when the Lord's guidance is most needed," Dean responds. Maybe he was playing the role of priest a little too far?

"Look, you wanna pitch your whole 'Lord has a plan' thing? Fine. Just don't pitch it to me. My brother's dead." The man answers hotly. Ms. Miller appears holding a casserole from one of the mourners. She scolds him for his harsh words, "Roger. Please!" Roger excuses himself and leaves the room. "I'm sorry about my brother-in-law. He's...he's just so upset about Jim's death. Would you like some coffee?"

Buffy smiles, "That would be great."

* * *

The four have moved into the lounge room. Sam is in an armchair while Buffy and Dean sit next to each other on the green lounge. Flowers decorate the room to show sympathy for Mr. Miller's passing. The Ms pours coffee and passes it around, "It was wonderful of you to stop by. The support of the church means so much right now."

"Of course. After all we are all God's children," Dean replies with a bright smile. She walks away to place the coffee pot in the kitchen. Dean immediately takes more cocktail sausages from the coffee table. Chewing contentedly, he looks at Sam shaking his head. "What?"

"Just...tone it down a little bit-," His brother suggests.

"Father," Buffy puts in somewhat mockingly. "Seriously? Mary Margaret?"

"It sounded nun-y."

"nun-y?"

"What can I say you're rubbing off on me." She smiles and he reaches for her small, warm hand. Sam watches with raised eyebrows. He then coughs awkwardly, "Umm guys? You're dressed as people of the church." Both green eyes gaze upon him for a few moments, confused. Buffy's eyes widen and she pulls away from Dean's grasp just as Ms. Miller returns. Seeing the older woman brought Dean back into work mood, "So Ms Miller, did you husband have a history of depression?"

"Nothing like that." Ms. Miller start to tear up. "We had our ups and downs like everyone but we were happy." The tears flow fully down her cheeks now, she can no longer keep them at bay. "I just don't understand...how Jim could do something like this."

"I'm so sorry you had to find him like that," Buffy sympathizes.

Ms. Miller gestures behind herself, "Actually, our son Max, he was the one who found him." Sam looks through the doors into the dining room and sees Max sitting in the corner, staring into space. His red hair and dark green shirt stand out against the white walls.

Sam looks back to Ms. Miller, "Do you mind if maybe, I go talk to him?"

"Oh thank you Father."

* * *

Sam approaches Max in the other room. "Max? Hey, I'm Sam." This seems to jolt Max out of his daze. He looks up at Sam, his eyes glassy.

* * *

Dean (being the closest to Ms. Miller) takes out a tissue from the box that sets on the table. "Ms Miller you have a lovely home. How long have you lived here?" He inquires.

"We moved in about five years ago."

"The only problem with these old houses. I bet you have all kind of headaches."

"Like what?"

"Well, weird leaks, electrical shortages, odd settling noises at night. That kind of thing." Dean lists the supernatural oddities as close to normal, everyday things that would happen in a crappy home.

"No, nothing like that. It's been perfect."

"Huh. May I use your restroom?"

"Oh sure, it's just up the stairs." Dean rises, and takes another cocktail sausage. He gives Buffy a look '_Find a way out of this. We need to look for EMF'_ and then leaves. _Damn Winchesters._

"Umm excuse me. Can I borrow your phone? I need to umm… call my convent!" Buffy exclaims the last few words out of happiness for coming up with an excuse. "That's right, I- I need to call my convent."

"There's a phone near the stairs. It's on the side table." Buffy rises from the lounge, "Thank you." She bites her tongue to hold back the very nun like comment she was about to say. _Why do I have to be semi-responsible? Why does Dean only get to say the wisdom-y stuff?_

* * *

"So what was your Dad like?" Sam questions.

"Just a normal Dad." Max responds sadly.

"Yeah. You live at home now?"

"Yeah. Trying to save up for school but it's hard."

"So when you found your dad…"

"I woke up, I heard the engine running. (long pause) I don't know why he did it."

Sam nods in understanding, "I know it's rough, losing a parent. Especially when you don't have all the answers."

* * *

Dean enters the hallway. Checking the coast is clear, he pulls an infer-red thermal scanner from his pocket and turns it on, shining it into rooms as he passes. Beams of light cross as he inspects doors, tables, and any other objects within reach for supernatural residue. As he reaches the end of the hall he hears two sets of footsteps coming up the stairs and hastily hides the scanner. Relief floods his face once he realizes it is Sam and Buffy.

"Anything?" Buffy asks as Dean walks closer to the duo.

"Zip." And with that they move back down the stairs.

* * *

Hours later, Buffy and Dean are having a heated make out session in the motel room. (A/N they aren't having sex yet btw. Dean wants to prove to Buffy that this is a serious relationship to him before they hit the sheets.) Buffy is comfortably sitting on Dean lap (who is sitting on the edge of the bed) when he pulls back from their kiss with a goofy smile on his face which mirrors her own. "Hard to image this is really happening huh?" Buffy asks almost silently so she doesn't break the content silence.

"Sure is," Dean replies equally as quiet. "I want to tell Sam about this, us, soon."

"I do too. It's just…"

"Just what?"

"Everything's going so right for me." Dean stares at her blankly, silently asking her to elaborate. "I mean, I'm happier than I have been in a long, long time and Sam-"

"Isn't"

"Yeah. I mean here we are in Dateville visiting smoochies palace while he's in Depressing lane listing to the music of pain a.k.a country. Don't give me that look, we both know he listens to that when we're not around."

"I know, but I wanna tell somebody. Hell, I wanna shout it to the freakin' universe." Buffy places a light chaste kiss to hip lips.

"Soon okay. I promise let's just- Do you hear something?" Buffy's eyes go wide before she pulls herself out of Dean's intimate embrace and onto the floor with a dull thud. Before he can question her actions, Sam opens the door. Sam's eyes go from Dean to Buffy, who is slowly rising from the ground. He raises an eyebrow but before he can figure out what had happened, Buffy asks, "What did you find out?"

"A whole lotta nothing." Sam responds while taking off his coat. "Nothing bad has happened in the Miller house since it was built."

"What about the land?" Dean chimes in.

Sam sits on the other bed that does not occupy Dean. Buffy joins him. Their backs are to Dean as Sam answers, "No grave yards, battle fields, tribal lands or any other kind of atrocity on or near the property."

"Hey man I told you, I searched that house up and down. No cold spots, sulfur scent. Nada."

"And the family said everything was normal?"

"Well, if there was a demon or poltergeist in there you think somebody would have noticed something? I used the infer-red thermal scanner man, and there was nothing." Sam turns to Buffy, who answers, "I didn't get any note worthy vibes but there has to be something going on here. I mean what do you think? Our dreams are not just some freakish coincidence."

"I'm pretty sure there's nothing supernatural about that house."

Sam rubs his temples while responding, "Yeah. Well, maybe it has nothing to do with the house." He takes a deep breath, and holds his head, "Maybe it's just…" Sam grunts in pain as he runs his fingers through his hair. "Maybe it's connected to Jim in some other way?"

"What's wrong with you?" Dean asks while Buffy using her hand to make soothing circles on his back. Her attempts at calming Sam fail because he continues to make anguished noises as he sinks from the bed to crouch on the floor. "Ahh. My head." Dean leaves the bed to join Sam which Buffy has already done.

"Sam? Hey," Buffy and Dean call. He crouches and grabs one of Sam's arms while Buffy holds the other. "Hey! What's going on? Talk to us." Sam stares at blankly at his worried companions. Suddenly Sam flashes out of the motel room and is a fly on the wall. He watches Roger enter his kitchen with groceries. Roger notices the window is open and closes and locks it. When he returns to unpacking the newly purchased items, the lock moves by itself and the window slides open again. Roger is confused, puzzled, and alert. He attempts to close it but it sticks. He leans out, twisting to look up at the top of the window. Abruptly, the window slides closed, decapitating him. Blood gushes up over the window and his head lands in the box full of dead plants that lay under his window. Sam focuses back on Buffy and Dean in the motel room.

"It's happening again. Something's gunna kill Roger Miller."

* * *

Sam is on the phone while Dean drives. Buffy is watching Sam intensely from the backseat, her eyes showing worry but no fear. Having visions while awake was something that the blonde had been though only once before, the incident with Grace at the high school. Two lovers came to a horrible demise and murder/suicide, was how their tale ended. The spirits were able to communicate with her due to her emotional state, they would have her reliving their lives while she was awake. But those were special circumstances. For as far as she knew, Sam had not slept with anyone recently causing them to lose their soul and in turn feel like the guiltlessness person alive. Well, his girlfriend did get killed so that would make any person feel guilty but still, these were different circumstances.

"Roger Miller. Ah no no, just the address please. Ok, thanks," Sam says slowly into the phone. His head still hurt but instead of feeling like it was about to explode, it felt more like it was on fire. Sam turns to Dean , "450 West Grove, Apartment 1120."

"You ok?" Buffy asks.

"Yeah."

"If you're gunna hurl I'll pull the car over you know, cause the upholstery…" Buffy lightly thumps Dean of the back of his head for said comment.

"I'm fine."

"All right."

"Just drive." Sam looks at Dean, then Buffy, sighs heavily, and looks out the window. "Dean I'm scared man. These nightmares weren't bad enough, now I'm seeing things when I'm awake? And these, visions, or whatever, they're getting more intense. And painful."

"Come on man, you'll be all right. It'll be fine."

"Yeah Sam, you'll be fine." Buffy reassures. "I once had a vision when I was awake," She doesn't add the part about how it was painless, Sam didn't need to know that.

"What is it about the Millers? Why am I connected to them, why am I watching them die? Why the hell is this happening to me?" Sam asks question after question.

"I don't know Sam but we'll figure it out. We've faced the unexplainable every day. This is just another thing." Dean tells his younger brother.

"No. It's never been us. It's never been in the family like this. Tell the truth, you can't tell me this doesn't freak you out." Buffy answers right away but Dean takes a moment to say, "This doesn't freak me out." Sam stares at him somewhat in disbelief and does not bring the topic up again, for now anyway.

* * *

Roger is walking, groceries in hand when he hears the rumble of an engine. He turns and is surprised to see the 'priests and nun' from earlier. The window is open in both the front and the back. Sam is looking out the window and is calling for Roger to which he replies, "What are you people, missionaries? Leave me alone."

"Please!" Buffy yells but it is too late, Roger is gone. Dean guns the engine, jumping the curb as he hurriedly parks. Sam and Buffy both get out running, "Hey. Roger. We're trying to help!" They frantically call. "Please! Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey." Together they run to the entrance just as Roger closes the door behind him.

"I don't want your help." Roger says angrily. He walks away once more. Sam tries to call out to him, "We're not priests, you gotta listen to us!" But it is no use.

"Roger, you're in danger!" Dean says once he has made it to the door. He looks around, "Come on. Come on come on." The trio run around the corner to a back entrance, it is securely locked. "Back up." Buffy commands. She checks to make sure no one is looking and then kicks the door open in a graceful manner. They jump to the first level of the fire escape then run up the stairs. Buffy is in front of them and is almost to Roger's apartment when they hear a window slide down and a wet squelching noise. The boys are one floor from Roger's house, Sam freezes, and Dean sprints past him and grabs the railing.

When they make it to the outside of Roger's home, Buffy's back is to them and she is staring attentively at the flower bed under the window. "Buffy?" Dean says quietly. She slowly turns around. The boys see that Roger's head lies in the flower bed under the window, his blood all over the kitchen window. The window wasn't the only object that got splattered with blood. Buffy's face and clothes contain spots of the older man's plasma. After a long pause Dean pulls three handkerchiefs from his pocket. He throws one to Sam and says, "Start wiping down your fingerprints, we don't want the cops to know we were here. Come on, come on!" Dean (using his rag to push up the window leading out to the fire escape) "I'm gunna take a look inside and get Buff cleaned up." Sam continues wiping down the metal railing as the two go inside.

* * *

"You okay?" Dean asks once they are in the apartment.

"I just saw someone get decapitated and then I was splattered with their own blood. Never better," Buffy replies weakly. Dean gives her a smile and then walks over to the kitchen sink. He uses one handkerchief to turn the water on, and place the other under the water. He turns the stream off after the rag is thoroughly doused and signals Buffy to stand in front of him. He cleans her face gently with the cloth, making sure to remove as much blood from her face as he possibly can. Her heart soars with happiness at the loving gesture but then plummets to the ground when she remembers he's cleaning dead guy's blood off her face. Not really the romantic date girl's dream of. He stares at her, an emotion in his eyes she can't quite place when he finally says, "I'm done," Dean says braking the silence. He looks down at her clothes. "Umm here take this." He takes out his jacket and hands it to her. "Don't want people callin' the police about a beautiful blonde girl with blood all on her clothes now do we?"

She puts on the jacket. "Beautiful?" She questions breathlessly.

"Yeah," He leans in close, almost ready to kiss her when she pulls away.

"You do realize there's a dead guy not ten feet away and Sam is right outside."

"I'm not the romantic. Sue me." Buffy chuckles at his joke. "You're right. Go help Sam, I'll be done soon."

* * *

"I'm telling you there was nothing in there. No signs either, just like the Miller's house." Dean tells Buffy and Sam as they walk towards the car.

"I saw something, in the vision. Like a dark shape. Something was...something was stalking Roger."

"Whatever it was, are you sure it's not connected to their house?"

"No, it's connected to the family themselves."

"So what are we thinking? A vengeful spirit?" Buffy asks.

"Well yeah, there's a few that have been known to latch onto families, follow them for years." Dean replies as the three get in the car.

Sam lists a few of the 'stalker demons' "Angiak. Banshees."

"Basically like a curse. So maybe Roger and Jim Miller got involved in something heavy, something curse worthy."

"And now the something is out for revenge. And the men in their family are dying. Hey you think Max is in danger?"

"Let's figure it our before he is."

Buffy chuckles causing the brothers to look at her in confusion. "Well, I know one thing we all have in common with these people."

"What's that?" Dean asks.

"All of our families are cursed."

Dean huffs, "My family's not cursed! We just...had our dark spots."

Sam, who agrees with Buffy supplies, "Our dark spots are...pretty dark."

"You're...dark." Dean says lamely.

* * *

The next day, Max leads Sam, Buffy, and Dean inside the Miller house once more. They are wearing the same attire from their last visit. "My Mom's resting, she's pretty wrecked." Max says, explaining his mother's absence.

Buffy nods in understanding, "Of course." Losing loved ones…never a fun time.

"All these people kept coming with like, casseroles?" Max says while staring at a table. The trio turn to look at what he is gazing at and see at least five casseroles lined neatly on a tabletop. "I finally had to tell them all to go away. You know cause nothing says I'm sorry like a tuna casserole." Sam smiles, causing Max to smile back. He gestures to the lounge and they all take seats. Buffy sits in between Sam and Dean while Max sits directly across from them. There is a few moments of silence, then Sam sighs. "How you holding up?"

"Ok."

"You're dad and your uncle were close."

"Yeah I guess. I mean, they were brothers. They used to hang out all the time when I was little."

"But not lately much?" Sam asks most of the questions, it was better that way, he knew Max better than the both of them.

"No, it's not that. It's just...we used to be neighbors when I was a kid, and we lived across town in this house. Uncle Roger lived next door, so he was over all the time."

"Right. So how was it in that house when you were a kid?"

"It was fine. Why?"

"All good memories? Do you remember anything unusual? Something involving your father and your uncle maybe?"

Max shakes his head, "What do ya...why do you ask?" His voice sounded far away, almost as if he was reliving a horrible nightmare.

Buffy smiles sweetly, "Just a question."

"No, there was nothing. We were totally normal. Happy."

"Good. That's good. Well you must be exhausted. We should take off."

"Right." Sam says agreeing with Buffy. He turn to Max, "Thanks."

"Yeah."

* * *

Sam, Buffy, and Dean walk down the driveway to stand beside the Impala. "No one's family is totally normal and happy. See when he was talking about his old house?"

"He sounded scared," Sam answers Dean's question.

"Petrified is a better adjective to describe that kid," Buffy says.

Dean nods his head in agreement and suggests, "Yeah Max isn't telling us everything. I say we go find the old neighborhood, find out what life was really like for the Millers."

* * *

Buffy had never been happier to change in a disgusting bathroom until today. After the visiting the Miller's home, they changed into their normal clothes at a truck stop. Now the three stand on a footpath, talking to a man in his front yard. The middle-aged man was raking leaves when the trio stopped to ask him some questions. "Have you lived in the neighborhood very long?" Sam asks.

"Yeah, almost 20 years now. It's nice and quiet. Why, you looking to buy?" The man questions.

"No, no, actually, we were wondering if you might recall a family that used to live right across the street I believe."

"The Millers," Buffy supplies. While Deans says, "They had a little boy called Max." he used his hand to illustrate the word 'little.'

"I remember." The ex-neighbor utters. "The brother had the place next door. So uh, what's this about, is that poor kid ok?"

"What do you mean?" Sam questions as his brows furrow in confusion.

"Well in my life I've never seen a child treated like that. I mean I'd hear Mr. Miller yelling and throwing things clear across the street, he was a mean drunk. He used to beat the tar outta Max. Bruises. Broke his arm two times that I know of."

"This was going on regularly?"

"Practically every day. In fact that thug brother of his was just as likely to take a swing at the boy but the worst part was the stepmother. She'd just stand there, checked out, not lifting a finger to protect him. I must have called the police seven or eight times. Never did any good."

"Now you said step-mother."

"I think his real mother died. Some sorta...accident. Car accident I think." Sam has his hand to his head and is grimacing. "Are you ok there?" The concerned man asks.

Sam winces while answering, "uh, yeah."

Dean and Buffy hold an arm out toward Sam, "Thanks for your time."

Sam (lifting his hands to his head), "Yeah, thank you." They turn to go, Dean and Buffy supporting Sam. Sam looks up and the words spins. He is suddenly in the Miller's kitchen. Ms. Miller is chopping vegetable with a large knife when she lays it down and says, "I don't know what you mean by that. You know I never did anything!"

"That's right. You didn't do anything." Max's voice is full of tears as he speaks. The knife starts to rattle on the chopping board as he says, "You didn't stop them, not once." Suddenly the knife lifts into the air.

Ms. Miller backs up against the wall, frightened, "How did you…" She trails off. The knife moves forward to hold her against the wall. "Max! Please!" She exclaims. The knife twists in front of her face, coming close enough to her eyeball to pierce the tear there so it runs down her cheek. She gasps.

"For every time you stood there and watched. Pretending it wasn't happening."

Ms. Miller's voice is hoarse as she apologies, "I'm sorry."

"No you're not. You just don't wanna die." Ms. Miller gasps and cries. The knife slices right through her eye and out the back of her head with a sickening sound.

* * *

"Max is doing it. Everything I've been seeing, everything we've been seeing." Sam says from inside the Impala.

"You sure about this?" Dean asks, wanting conformation.

"Yeah, I saw him."

"How's he pulling it off?" Buffy poses the question that was also on Dean's mind.

"I don't know, telekinesis?" Sam guesses/explains.

"What so he's psychic?" Dean asks the same type as Buffy says, "A spoon bender?"

"I didn't even realize it but this whole time he was there. He was outside the garage when his Dad died, outside the apartment when his Uncle died. These visions, this whole time. I wasn't connecting to the Millers, I was connecting to Max! The thing is I don't get why, man. Why did Buffy only get one vision and I got three? I guess because we're so alike?

"What are you talking about. The dude's nothing like you." Dean states.

"Well. We both have psychic abilities, we both…"

"Both what? Sam, Max is a monster, he's already killed two people, now he's gunning for a third."

"Well, with what he went through, the beatings, to want revenge on those people? I'm sorry but it doesn't sound insane."

"Yeah but Sam, that doesn't justify murdering your entire family!" Dean yells.

"Dean…" Sam and Buffy say unison.

Dean pulls over at Max's house, "He's no different from anything else we've hunted, all right? We gotta end him."

"We're not going to kill Max." Buffy say from the backseat.

"Then what? Hand him over to the cops and say 'Lock him up officer he kills with the power of his mind."

"No way. Forget it."

Dean turns off the engine. "Guys…"

"Dean. He's a person. Slayers have this huge rule about NOT killing humans. I try to stick to it as much as possible."

"Buffy's right Dean," Sam says. "We can talk to him. Hey, promise me you'll follow my lead on this one."

After a long pause, Dean finally gives in, "All right fine. But I'm not letting him hurt anybody else." Dean removes his Taurus pistol Weapons Catalogue from the glove compartment, glaring at Sam and opening the door.

* * *

"You know I never did anything." Ms. Miller tells Max as she cuts vegetables.

"That's right. You didn't do anything. You didn't stop them, not once!" Max's voice is full of tears as he speaks. Before he has the chance to move the knife like he wants to Sam, Buffy, and Dean burst through the front door.

"Fathers? Sister?" Ms. Miller's voice is laced in confusion.

"What are you doing here?"

"Ahh, sorry to interrupt," Buffy says with a smile.

"Max, can we talk to you outside for just one second?" Sam smiles as well in hopes to reassure Max.

Suspicion fills the planes of Max's face. "About what?"

"It's...it's private. We wouldn't want to bother your mother with it." Sam turns to Ms. Miller, "We won't be long at all though, I promise."

Max looks at his mother, then back, "Ok."

"Great." Dean, Sam, and Buffy turn for the door, Max follows. As Dean grasps the doorknob he turns back to smile at Max. Max see's the butt of the pistol in Dean's waistband in the hall mirror. Suddenly the knob is pulled from Dean's hand and the door slams shut, as do the wooden window blinds all around the room.

Max backs up slowly from the priests. "You're not priests." Make that fake priests. Dean draws his gun but Max uses his power to pull it away, sliding it across the floor to where he can pick it up. He hold's it on the group.

"Max what's happening?" His mother calls.

"Shut up," Max demands.

"What are you doing?" Using his power, Max flings Ms. Miller backwards. She hits her head on the kitchen bench and falls to the ground unconscious.

"I said shut up!" He roars back.

"Max calm down." Sam says calmly.

"Who are you?"

"We just wanna talk."

"Yeah right, that's why you bought (indicating the gun) this!"

"That was a mistake all right? So was lying about who we were. But no more lying Max ok? Just please, hear me out."

"About what?"

"I saw you do it. I saw you kill your Dad and you Uncle before it happened."

"What?"

"I'm having visions Max, my friend was too. And they're all about you."

"You're crazy." Max states.

"So what, you weren't gonna launch a knife at your step mom? (Sam taps his eye) Right here? Is it that hard to believe Max, look what you can do. Max I was drawn here all right? I think I'm here to help you."

Max softly cries as he responds, "No one can help me."

"Let me try, we'll just talk, me and you. We'll get Dean, Buffy, and Alice out of here."

"Uh-huh." "No way." Is the response from his fellow hunters. Sam, Dean, and Buffy look up as the chandelier begins to shake.

"Nobody leaves this house!" max shouts.

"And nobody has to, all right? They'll just...they'll just go upstairs."

"Sam we're not leaving you alone with him," Dean says sternly.

"Yes you are. Look, Max. You're in charge here, all right, we all know that. No one's going to do anything you don't want to do but I'm talking five minutes here man."

"Sam!" Dean says once again but the man in question holds up his index finger, silencing him.

Max looks back at his step mother, "Five minutes?" The chandelier stops shaking. "Go." Dean and Buffy hastily move to pick up Ms. Miller

* * *

Sam and Max sit in the lounge. Max stares at a letter opener and it raises on its point and begins twirling slowly as Sam talks, "Look, I can't begin to understand what you went through."

"That's right you can't." Max responds bitterly.

"Max, this has to stop."

"It will, after my stepmother.…"

"No. You need to let her go."

"Why?"

"Did she beat you?" Sam presses.

"No, but she never tried to save me, she's a part of it too."

"What they did to you, what they all did to you growing up, they deserve to be punished…"

Max interrupts, "Growing up? Try last week." The letter opener starts to spin faster and faster as Max finally makes eye contact with Sam. He gets up and lifts his shirt. His chest and side are a mass of purple bruises and red cuts. "My dad still hit me. Just in places people wouldn't see it. Old habits die-hard I guess."

"I'm sorry." Sam says honestly.

"When I first found out I could move things it was a gift. My whole life I was helpless but now I had this. So last week Dad gets drunk. The first time in a long time. And he beats me to hell, first time in a long time. And then I knew what I had to do."

"Why didn't you just leave?"

"It wasn't about getting away. Just knowing they would still be out there. It was about...not being afraid. When my Dad used to look at me, there was hate in his eyes. Do you know what that feels like?"

"No."

"He blamed me for everything. For his job, for his life, for my Mom's death."

"Why would he blame you for your Mom's death?"

"Because she died in my nursery, while I was asleep in my crib. As if that makes it my fault."

Sam looks shocked, "She died in your nursery?"

"There was a fire. And he'd get drunk and babble on like she died in some insane way. He said that she burned up. Pinned to the ceiling!"

Sam is in shock, "What your Dad said, about what happened to your Mom. It's real."

"What?"

"It happened to my Mom too, exactly the Same. My nursery, my crib, my Dad saw her on the ceiling."

"Your Dad must have been as drunk as mine."

"No, no. It's the same thing, Max. The same thing killed out Mothers."

"That's impossible."

"This must be why I'm having visions during the day. Why they're getting more intense. Cause you and I must be connected in some way. Your abilities, they started 6-7 months ago right, out of the blue?" For Sam it was like some of the missing pieces to a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle were coming together.

"How'd you know that?"

"Cause that's when my abilities started Max. Yours seem to me much further along but still, this has to mean something right? I mean for some reason, you and I...you and I were chosen."

"For what?"

"I don't know. But Dean, Buffy and I, my brother, my friend and I, we're hunting for your Mom's killer. We can find answers, answers that can help us both. But you gotta let us go Max. You gotta let your stepmother go."

Max thinks about what Sam said then starts to shake his head. "No. What they did to me. I still have nightmares. I'm so scared all the time, like I'm just waiting for that next beating. I'm so sick of being scared all the time, I just want this to be over!" The hopeful look on Sam's face fell. Sam explains to Max how the nightmare won't stop, not like this but his only response is , "I'm sorry." Max uses his powers to fling Sam backwards into the hall closest and slam the door. He looks across and a tall, heavy, hallway bookshelf slides in front of the doors, blocking them.

Sam bangs on the door, "No. Max!"

* * *

Ms. Miller is sitting on one of the upstairs beds along with Buffy. Dean is crouching beside her, holding a facecloth to her bleeding forehead. The door creaks open on its own and Max walks in. Dean rises and moves purposefully toward Max as the door closes behind him. Max sends Dean flying and he crashes into the wall.

"Max!" Ms. Miller yells. Max raises Dean's pistol, his hand shaking.

"Son of a…" Dean starts to say as he rises. He freezes when he sees the gun, then again, begins to walk toward Max. He stops when Max let's go of the gun, leaving it floating in mid-air. It cocks, then turns to point at Ms. Miller. She stands slowly as well as Buffy. Dean steeps in the guns path and receives a warning from Max. "Stay back. This is not about you."

"You wanna kill her you gotta go through me first"

"Ok." Max was fast, but not Slayer fast. Buffy quickly pushes Dean onto the floor and takes the bullet herself. The gun fires. Blood splatters over the wall. Dean looks up, his face distorted with grief, disbelief, and pain as he sees a bullet hole in the middle of her forehead. Her eyes that were normally so full of life were blank. She wavers and crashes heavily to the ground, next to her almost lover. Ms. Miller's is shocked as she looks at Buffy, sprawled on the ground, eyes open. Dead.

"BUFFY!"

* * *

Sam comes back to himself, gasping and holding his head. He realizes it is a vision and tries even harder to get escape his prison. He was NOT going to let the person he thought of as a sister die because he was trapped in a damn closet. "No. NOOO!" Sam yells, panicked. The bookcase in front of the closet doors slides away. Sam freezes, then pushes the door with his hand. It swings open.

* * *

The gun, in midair, it turns to point at Ms. Miller. Dean steps in front of her and the gun turns to point at him.

"Stay back. It's not about you."

"You're going to kill her you gotta go through me first."

"Ok." Buffy is just about to push Dean out-of-the-way when the door bursts open and Sam walks in.

"No don't! Don't! Please. Please. Max. Max. We can help you. All right. But this, what you're doing. It's not the solution. It's not going to fix anything." Sam pleads. Max is a mess, he is shaking, sweaty, and in tears. He stares at Sam, anguished. Suddenly he relaxes a little, his face clears.

"You're right." Sam smiles at him, he believes he has gotten through to him but suddenly Max points the gun at himself. He shoots himself in the head, leaving Sam only able to watch in horror. "NO!"

* * *

Ms. Miller is sitting on couch, in shock. "Max attacked me. He threatened me with a gun." She tells the police in the lounge room.

A cop indicates Sam, Dean, and Buffy who are watching the scene unfold, "And these three?"

"They're...family friends. I called them soon as Max arrived, I was scared. They tried to stop him. They fought for the gun."

"Where did Max get the gun?" Sam and Dean exchange looks.

Ms. Miller begins to cry. While looking at the ceiling she answers, "I don't know. He showed up with it and…" She breaks down.

"It's all right Ms Miller."

"(Sobbing) I've lost everyone."

The cop turns to the onlookers, "We'll give you a call if we have any further questions."

"Thanks officer." Dean says. "(patting Sam's arm) Come on."

* * *

Buffy, Sam, and Dean walk down the path to the Miller's house. "If I'd just said something else. Gotten through to him somehow." Sam starts to say.

"Ah, don't do that." Buffy tells him.

"Do what?"

"Torture yourself. It wouldn't have mattered what you said, Max was too far gone. So stop going all guiltapalooza. What? You think I don't know the signs?"

"When I think about how he looked at me man, right before. I shoulda done something."

"Come on man, you risked your life. I mean yeah, maybe if we had gotten there 20 years earlier." Dean reasons. Buffy gets in the backseat of the Impala while the boys stay outside for a few more moments.

"Well I'll tell you one thing. We're lucky we had Dad."

Dean looks astounded...and pleased, "Well I never thought I'd hear you say that."

"Well, it coulda gone a whole other way after Mom. I little more tequila and a little less demon hunting and we coulda had Max's childhood. All things considered, we turned out ok. Thanks to him."

Dean turns back to look at Max's house, "All things considered."

* * *

Sam places a bag in the trunk of the Impala which is backed up to the door of the motel and returns inside. "Guys, I've been thinking."

"Well that's never a good thing." Buffy jokes while she packs her clothes.

"I'm serious. I been thinking, this demon, whatever it is. Why would it kill Mom, and Jessica, and Max's Mother, you know? What does it want?"

"I have no idea." Dean says honestly while he too packs his clothes.

"Well, you think, maybe, it was after us? After Max and me?"

"Why would you think that?"

"I mean, either telekinesis or premonitions, we both had abilities you know? Maybe he was after us for some reason."

"Sam. If it had wanted you, it would've just taken you." Buffy says sincerely, "This is not your fault, it's not about you."

"Then what is it about?"

"It's about this damn thing that did this to our family. This thing we're gonna find and kill. And that's all." Dean says,

"Actually there's uh...something else too."

"Ah jeez what."

"When Max left me in that closet, with that big cabinet against the door...I moved it."

"Huh. You got a little more upper body strength than I gave you credit for."

"No man, I moved it. Like, Max."

Dean pauses from gathering his clothes and stands still, "Oh. Right."

"Yeah."

Buffy picks up a spoon, "Bend this."

"I can't just turn it on and off Buffy." Sam say frustrated.

"Well how'd you do it?" Dean questions.

"I don't know, I can't control it. I just...I saw Buffy die and it just came out of me, like a punch. You know like...a freak adrenaline thing."

"Yeah well I'm sure it won't happen again."

"Yeah, maybe. Aren't you worried. Aren't you worried I could turn into Max or something?"

"Nope." "No way. You know why?"

"No. Why?"

"Cause you got one advantage Max didn't have. Actually make that two." Dean says seriously.

"Dad? Because Dad's not here Dean."

"No. Buffy. And Me. (smirking) As long as I'm around, nothing bad is gunna happen to you." Buffy, who is done packing walks over to Sam who is standing by the doorway.

Dean slings his bag over his shoulder and moves toward Sam and Buffy, "Now then. I know what we need to do about your premonitions. I know where we have to go."

"Where?" Buffy and Sam ask in unison.

Dean dead pans, "Vegas." which then turns into a large grin. Sam tilts his head, looks away, looks back, does his bitchface and walks out the door to the car. Buffy laughs and Dean's joke and walks to the car as well. "What? Come on man. We'd clean up!" Dean follows Sam to the door and pauses on the threshold. He considers Sam, looking very thoughtful, then turns to pull the door closed.

* * *

Hours later, Dean is driving when Sam asks, "Can I ask you a question."

"Shoot, just don't be to loud, Buff's asleep."

"She's actually what I wanted to ask you about." Dean lifts an eyebrow but remains focused on the road. "What's going on between you two?"

"What are you talking 'bout Sammy?"

"I'm not an idiot. I see the way you look at her, the way she looks at you. You gave her your jacket, you sat in the backseat, and in my vision you…you looked heartbroken when she was shoot. Be honest with me are you two…together?"

Moments pass in silence until Dean finally answers, "Yeah. We are. 'Bout a week now."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Buffy didn't want you to feel bad about-"

"Jessica."

"Yeah."

"Your serious about her." It was a statement not a question.

"More than I've ever been."

"I'm happy for you Dean but break her heart and I'll shoot you."

"Aren't you supposed to threaten her with that?"

"Why would I do that? I like her way more than you," Sam smiles.

"Thanks Samantha, really feeling the brotherly love," Dean says sarcastically.

"Jerk."

"Bitch."

"Pull over, I'll drive."

"Why?"

"Don't you want to go be with girlfriend?" And that's exactly what he did.

* * *

**To Be Continued…**

**Sry for taking so long but I got some ideas, chapter outlines, ect. So… **

**Thanks for reviews, favs, and following.**

**See you next Sunday...(maybe... let's hope) **


	11. Chapter 11: The Benders

**The End or the Beginning?**

**Chapter 11: The Benders**

**Do you really need the summary anymore? **

**Wow chapter 11! I dedicate this chapter to everyone that has read, reviewed, favorited, or followed this story. : ) Hope ya like O_o**

**I don't own anything that you recognize!**

* * *

"_You can attack me, you can send assassins after me, that's fine. But nobody messes with my boyfriend." Buffy Summers, Season 2 (What's My Line Part 2)_

**Hibbing, Minnesota. **

A young boy is watching TV in his bedroom. As the horror movie becomes more intense, he squeezes the blanket for comfort. He suddenly hears a noise outside and looks out the window. A man is walking in a parking lot with two bags of garbage in his hands. He appears to be an Average Joe as he throws the bags into a dumpster and starts walking back to his car. The man hears the same screeching noise and stops. He gets down on his knees and looks under the car. He sees something that horrifies him and stands up quickly in hopes to escape. An invisible force pulls him back to the ground, on his stomach. He is dragged under the car, screaming, and clawing until he is gone. The boy looks frightened and shuts the curtains.

* * *

It has been a few days since Sam has found out about Dean and Buffy's newfound relationship. The youngest Winchester has shown nothing but support for the two hunters. It was strange for Sam to see his brother actually happy as well as Buffy when they weren't hunting. So with a heavy heart, Sam informed them of a possible case. And that is why the trio is now in Mrs. McKay's home, to interview her son. Today, they are dressed as sheriffs. "I know you're just doing your job, but the police have been here all week already. I don't see why we have to go through this again. The more he tells the story, the more he believes it's true," Mrs. McKay says somewhat annoyed.

"Mrs. McKay," Sam addresses as he, Buffy, and Dean take off their hats. "We know you spoke with the local authorities."

"But, uh, this seems like a matter for the state police, so…." Dean cuts in. Buffy, taking on the friendly approach, crouches down next to Evan. "Don't worry about how crazy it sounds, Evan. You just tell us what you saw," Buffy coos.

"I was up late, watching TV. When I heard this weird noise," The boy answers,

"What did it sound like?"

"It sounded like….a monster," Dean and Sam exchange a look as Buffy keeps her eyes completely on Evan.

"Tell the officers what you were watching on TV," His mother commands from behind him.

"Godzilla Vs. Mothra," Dean smiles as Buffy stands up.

In an excited tone, Dean states, "That's my favorite Godzilla movie. It's so much better than the original, huh?"

"Totally," The boy answers with enthusiasm.

"Yeah," He nods towards Sam. "He likes the remake."

"Yuck!" Sam glares at Dean and clears his throat, a signal to get back on track. Dean stops.

"Evan, did you see what this thing was?" Sam asks.

"No. But I saw it grab Mr. Jenkins. It pulled him underneath the car."

"Then what?"

"It took him away. I heard the monster leaving. It made this really scary sound."

"What did it sound like, Evan?"

"Like this…whining growl," This time, the entire group of hunters exchange a look.

"Thanks for your time," Buffy says politely as she and the gang leave.

* * *

Sam is having a beer at a table, looking over research at Kugel's Keg. The bar is darkly lit and is not highly occupied. Dean and Buffy are nearby, playing a game of darts. Buffy smiles as she throws another dart which lands within the bull's eye area once again. "You're such a cheater," Dean says jokingly after he takes his turn and one of his darts land in the four point area.

"What? No I'm not," Buffy denies.

"I don't think Slayer powers are allowed in darts, sweetheart."

"You're just mad cause you lost!" Buffy says with a grin.

"Hey guys?" Sam calls. Two sets off eyes turn to Sam, "So I was workin' on our case. Ya know, like we're supposed to do," The two blondes roll their eyes at Sam's goody-two-shoe-ness. "Anyway, the local police have now ruled out foul play. Apparently, there _were_ signs of a struggle."

"Well, they could be right, it could just be a kidnapping. Maybe this isn't our kind of gig," Dean says dismissively.

"Yeah, maybe not. Except for this—Dad marked the area." Dean and Buffy come to stand at the table and look at the journal. Dean takes one of the beers from the table and takes a sip. He does a quick look over of the establishment and notices many hungry eyes on his petite girlfriend. As a sign to warn off the men, Dean wraps his arm around the blonde beauty. Buffy smiles at his open affection and rests her head on his chest.

"Possible hunting grounds of a phantom attacker," Sam continues.

"Why would he do that?" Buffy asks.

"Well, dad found a lot of local folklore about a dark figure that comes out at night. Grabs people, then vanishes. He found this too—this county has more missing persons per capita than anywhere else in the state."

"That is a little-"

"Weird," Dean supplies.

"I was gonna say wiggy but that works too. Don't phantom attackers usually snatch people from their beds though? Jenkins was taken from a parking lot."

"Well, there are all kinds. You know, Springhill Jacks, phantom gassers. They take people anywhere, anytime," Sam explains. "Look, guys, I don't know if this is our kind of gig either."

"Yeah, you're right, we should ask around more tomorrow,"

"Right," Sam takes out his wallet. "I saw a motel about five miles back."

"Whoa, whoa, easy. Let's have another round," Dean declares.

"But Dean-"

"No, Sammy, let's get some more drinks then we'll go." Dean says stubbornly.

"We should get an early start though." Buffy says while looking up her boyfriend. Dean looks at her innocent expression, hopeful eyes, and relents. Sam raises his eyebrows in surprise at how quickly Buffy could make his brother agree to something. He files that skill away for later use.

"Yeah, you really know how to have fun, don't you, Grandmas?" Dean says, voice full of jest. Buffy removes herself from Dean hold. He looks at her questionably.

"I'll meet you guys outside, gotta use the little Slayers room." She grabs her coat and heads to the bathroom, leaving Sam and Dean to gather the research and leave.

* * *

Sam and Dean are walking out of the bar when Dean says to Sam, "Can I ask you a question?"

"What Dean?" Sam asks as they continue their trek to the car.

"What do you think…How should I…" Dean stumbles looking for the right words.

"Ask Buffy out for a real date?" Sam guesses/states. Sam turns to his brother as he says, "This is just (laugh) I can't believe it. My brother, Dean-smooth-as-can-be-Winchester asking me for dating advice," Sam continues to laugh until he sees the serious look on his brother's face. He stops walking as well as Dean.

"Well what do I say? 'Hey Buff after we finish cutting off this demon's head do you wanna go for dinner?' just doesn't seem like it will cut it."

"It doesn't matter."

"What do you mean it doesn't matter?"

"For some insane reason, Buffy already agreed to go out with you. That means either she's a nutcase or she really like you. Just be your annoying self," Sam says and continues to walk the length of the parking lot with Dean in tow.

"Don't ever bring this up again." Dean grumbles but Sam can detect the slight thankfulness in his tone. Both brothers come to the Impala when they hear a strange noise. Sam places the journal he is holding on the hood of the car and takes out a flashlight from his coat pocket. Dean takes out a flashlight as well. They both turn them on and look around, then in unison, they bend down to look under the car. They see a cat, which hisses at them, then runs away.

"Whoa!" Sam exclaims while his brother is the description of calm.

"Do you need a new pair of panties, Samantha?" Dean jokes as he and Sam stand up. Sam gives his brother a glare, and waits for Buffy to return. Unfortunately for them, the next time they would see Buffy would not be within the next five minutes.

* * *

Minutes later, Buffy comes out of the bar and walks to the car. She does a double take as she sees a cat on the hood of someone's vehicle. She comes to the car and is surprised to see the journal on the hood. Dean would never, ever part with the old object. She opens the car door and checks to see if Sam or Dean is inside, but they aren't there. She looks around, confused. Something was wrong.

* * *

A group of people come out of the bar. Buffy walks up to a biker and his girlfriend, who are clearly drunk. "Hey, you guys been outside, around here in the last hour or so?" They shake their heads and walk away. "Dean!" She looks around frantically. "Sammy!" So what if he would be pissed at her later for calling him that! She turns around and notices a surveillance camera on top of a street light. Buffy walks into the middle of the deserted road and looks around with one name on her lips. "Dean."

* * *

Buffy is in the sheriff's department and is talking to a deputy named Kathleen. The deputy has intense grey eyes and her red hair is so dark it appears to be brown. The woman is looking at Buffy fake ID. Buffy is in the mood to smash her head against a brick wall for her stupidity. In her rush to get to the station, she took a fake ID. That's all fine and dandy (at least for her and the Winchesters) but it helps if the ID didn't have a MAN'S name on it! "Officer Gregory Washington…" The deputy says skeptically.

Buffy smiles sheepishly and replies, "My parents really, really wanted a boy."

"Well then…what can we do for you, Officer Washington?"

"Call me Buffy. I'm working a missing persons," Buffy says, silently hoping that she has enough 'cop training' to be able to pull this off.

"I didn't know the Jenkins case was being covered by the state police."

"Oh, no. No, there's someone else. Actually, it's my cousin. He was havin' a few last night at this bar down by the highway. And I haven't seen him since."

"Does your cousin have a drinking problem?"

"Sam? Two beers and he's doin' karaoke," Buffy purposely leaves Dean out of the story because technically, he is dead. Kathleen smiles. "No, he wasn't drunk. He was taken." Kathleen nods and sits down at her computer. Buffy follows her and sits also.

"Alright. What's his name?"

"Winchester. Sam Winchester."

"Like the rifle?"

"Like the rifle," Buffy confirms. Kathleen types Sam's name in the computer and brings up his police record. She observes the page, then clicks on Dean's link and brings up his record.

"Samuel Winchester. So, you know that his brother, Dean Winchester, died in St. Louis. And, uh, was suspected of murder," Buffy does her best to look nonchalant.

"Yeah, Dean. Kind of the black sheep of the family. Handsome, though. And strong, an adorable Kansas accent, and cute…" The officer gives Buffy a confused look at her ramble. "You know…if he wasn't a murderer…or dead."

"Uh-huh." She types something else and brings up more search results on the computer. "Well, he's not showing up in any current field reports."

"Oh, I already have a lead. I saw a surveillance camera by the highway."

"Uh-huh. The county traffic cam?"

"Right. Yeah. I'm thinking the camera picked up whatever took him. Or, whoever," Buffy amends.

"Well, I have access to the traffic cam footage down at the county works department, but—well, anyhow, let's do this the right way." She stands up and gets some paperwork from a filing cabinet. "Why don't you fill out a missing persons report and sit tight over here?" She hands her a clipboard.

"Officer, look, uh, he's family. I kind of—I kind of look out for the kid. You gotta let me go with you."

"I'm sorry, I can't do that."

"Well, tell me something. Your county has its fair share of missing persons. Any of them ever come back?" Kathleen looks down at the floor sadly. "Sam's my responsibility. And he's coming back. I'm bringin' him back." Kathleen looks up at Buffy, if she didn't know any better, she would think that the blonde was talking about a lover rather than a cousin considering the passionate tone of her voice.

* * *

In an unknown location, Sam is asleep in a cage. He jerks awake and observes his surroundings. Dean is sitting in the opposite corner of their shared cage. " 'Bout time you woke up." Dean says lamely. Sam gets up and rattles the bars of the cage. "Already tried that." Dean informs him. Sam looks around once more and notices Jenkins asleep in a cage next to his.

* * *

Buffy is sitting on a bench outside of the County Works Department. Kathleen comes behind her, holding printouts of the camera footage. "Buffy," She addresses. Buffy sees her and stands up. "I think we've got something." She hands her the printouts and Buffy flips through them, praying for a lead on her friends. "These traffic cams take an image every three seconds, as part of the Amber Alert program. These images were all taken around the time that your cousin, Sam, disappeared."

"This really isn't what I'm looking for," Buffy says regretfully.

"Just wait, wait—next one," Buffy lifts her eyes to meet the deputy. A confused look adorns Buffy's face but she obliges. She turns the page and sees an image of a rusty truck driving. "This one was taken right after Sam left the bar. Look at the back end of that thing. Now, look at the plates." Buffy turns another page and sees a close-up image of the truck's license plates.

"Oh, the plates look new. But the car -if you can call it that- is totally carbon dated. Those plates have to be stolen."

"So, whoever's driving that rust bucket must be involved," A beat-up van drives by. Its engine is whining loudly.

"Hear that engine?" Buffy questions as she watches the car drive by.

"Yeah."

"Kind of a whining growl, isn't it?"

"Sure." Buffy's stare intensifies as the van drives away. Quietly to herself, Buffy mumbles, "I'll be damned…again."

* * *

Back in their cell, Sam and Dean are is trying to kick down the door of their cage. Since Sam had woken, it was a higher chance that they would be able to escape with their combined strengths. It's a good plan but it ultimately fails. Jenkins wakes up with a groan. Sam and rush over to talk to him through the bars of their cages. After hearing Jenkins say that they are a piss-pour rescue, Dean says, "Well, my girlfriend's out there right now, too. She's lookin' for us. So—"

"So, she's not gonna find us. We're in the middle of nowhere," He nods towards the door leading into the building. "Waiting for them to come back and do God-knows-what to us."

"What are they? Have you seen them?"

"What are you talking about?" The other captive asks puzzled.

"Whatever's got us, what'd they look like?" Sam rephrases Dean's question.

"See for yourself." The door to the building opens and two men wearing black coats and hats walk in. One man walks over to Jenkins' cage and kicks the side of it. Jenkins moves back into the corner. The other man goes to a panel of buttons attached to a pole in the middle of the room. He inserts a key into the panel and twists it. Jenkins' cage unlocks. The men enter. "Leave me alone! Don't you take me, leave me alone!" The men place a plate of food in front of him. They leave the cage and walk over to the panel. One of the men twists the key again and removes it, which locks the cage. They leave, and Jenkins devours his food.

"I'll be damned. They're just people," Dean says to Sam but Jenkins hears as well.

"Yeah. What'd you expect?" Jenkins says cockily.

"How often do they feed you?" Sam inquires.

"Once a day. And they use that thing over there to open the cage," He points to the panel.

"And that's the only time you see 'em?"

"So far. But What do you think they want?" Sam reaches through the top of his cage and grabs a long metal wire stretching from the top of the pole to the ground. Thank god Sam was the size of freakin' moose. He tries to pull it down.

"Depends on who they are," Dean says dully.

"They're a bunch of psycho hillbilly rednecks, if you ask me. Lookin' for love in all the wrong places," Sam continues to pull on the wire, which gradually starts to detach from the pole.

* * *

Kathleen is driving her car and while Buffy sits in the passenger seat. Kathleen points to a passing traffic camera, "Okay, the next traffic cam is fifty miles from here, and the pickup didn't pass that one, so…."

"So, it must've pulled off somewhere. I didn't see any other roads here."

"Well, a lot of these backwoods properties have their own private roads."

"Great." Buffy says in a highly annoyed tone. She stares out the window. New information comes up on Kathleen's computer. She clicks the highlighted item and brings up a page about Buffy's fake ID. She reads it and looks concerned.

"So, Buffy, Gregory," Buffy turns to look at her.

"Yeah?"

"I ran your badge number. It's routine when we're working a case with state police. For accounting purposes and what have you," Buffy nods in understanding. "And, uh, they just got back to me," She pulls the car over to the side of the road. "It says here your badge was stolen," Buffy feigns surprise. "And there's a picture of you," She turns the computer to Buffy. She sees a picture of a heavy African-American man.

"I uhh… it was Halloween. Really great costume huh? After that I lost some weight," Buffy chuckles. She's screwed. "And I got that Michael Jackson skin disease," Kathleen takes off her seatbelt.

"Okay, would you step out of the car, please?"

"Look, look, look," She stops. "If you wanna arrest me, that's fine. I'll cooperate, I swear. But, first, please—let me find Sam."

"I don't even know who you are. Or if this Sam person is missing."

"Look into my eyes and tell me if I'm lying about this." Buffy demands.

"Identity theft? You're impersonating an officer."

"Look, here's the thing. I have this sister. I practically saved her life, but even though I did that…there's somethings that just can't be fixed. But Sam, shaggy haired Sammy, he's my chance to live my life over again. But to do it right. I've felt responsible for him," In her mind, she quietly adds a them. _"_Like it's my job to keep him" _(them) "_safe. I'm just afraid if we don't find him" _(them) "_fast—please." Her voice breaks. "They're my family. It's all I got left."

If Kathleen heard her slip, she didn't react. "I'm sorry. You've given me no choice. I have to take you in," She glances at her visor. Her eye catches a photo of her and another man, smiling. She looks sad and sighs. She cannot believe what she is about to do. "After we find Sam Winchester," She fastens her seatbelt leaving Buffy to look confused but entirely grateful.

* * *

Sam is still trying to pull the metal coil from the beam when Jenkins asks, "What's your names, again?

"I'm Sam. That's Dean"

"Why don't you give it up, Sammy, there's no way out."

"Don't….call me….Sammy!" At hearing the annoying nickname, Sam gains enough strength tear the coil down. A small piece of metal falls on the floor also.

"Looks like someone's been eatin' their wheaties." Dean says as he walks over to Sam. "What is it?" Sam picks it up and looks at it.

"It's a bracket." Sam informs the men.

"Well, thank God, a bracket. Now we've got 'em, huh?" Jenkins says sarcastically. Suddenly his cage unlocks itself and opens. "Must've been short," He deduces. He climbs out of the cage. "Maybe you knocked somethin' loose."

"I think you should get back in there, Jenkins."

"What?"

"This isn't right."

"Don't you wanna get out of here?"

"Yeah. But that was too easy." Dean reasons.

"Look, I'm gonna get out of here, and I'm gonna send help, okay, don't worry."

"No, We're serious. Jenkins—this might be a trap."

"Bye, Sammy." He pushes open the door and leaves.

"Jenkins!" The boys yell in unison. On the other side of the door, Jenkins is in another room similar to the one he just left. He finds an exit and leaves. Where Sam and Dean are trapped, they watch Jenkins cage slam shut on its own.

* * *

Jenkins is walking around the outside of a rundown house. It is dark, rainy, and muddy but the adult had never been happier to be outside. He finds an old, rusty knife on the ground and picks it up. He looks skyward and thanks who ever is watching over him for this incredible gift. He then starts to run into the woods.

* * *

Jenkins continues walking. He hears a noise and raises his knife, then starts to run in the rain. Before long, a man in camouflage jumps in front of him and knocks him down with a spear like object. He falls to the ground, but sticks his own knife in the man's leg. The man stumbles, allowing the escapee to get up and run away. Jenkins reaches a clearing. He looks around, lost. Suddenly, another camouflaged man appears and puts his spear through Jenkins' leg, then removes it. A second camouflaged man appears, and they both point their knives at Jenkins who is on the ground. He is able to get up and run away. The men watch him and laugh. He keeps running, while applying pressure to his injured leg. He never notices the trip wire until it is too late and he is flat on his face. The men catch up to him and raise their knives. Back in their cage, the brothers can hear the screaming of a dying man.

* * *

Buffy and Kathleen are walking back to the car, holding cups of coffee. "Hey, Officer? Look, I don't mean to press my luck." Buffy says slowly.

"Your luck is so pressed."

"Right. I was wondering—why are you helping me out, anyway? Why don't you just lock me up? I wouldn't blame ya if you did."

"My brother, Riley, disappeared," The Slayer's heart started to pound, there were millions of Rileys but... Even though she did not love him, she would never want him to be kidnapped nor murdered, "three years ago." Three years, he was okay. Relief flooded her system but then guilt crashed into it. Was it wrong to be happy that the person you know is alive rather than a stranger? "A lot like Sam. We searched for him, but—nothing. I know what it's like to feel responsible for someone, and for them." After hearing the deputy's saddened voice she knew the answer. "Come on. Let's keep at it."

* * *

Kathleen and Buffy are driving by the edge of a forest when Buffy finally instructs her companion to pull over. They pull over and get out of the car, then walk towards the forest. "It's the first turn-off I've seen so far."

"You stay here, I'll check it out," Kathleen says sternly.

"No way," Buffy protests.

"Hey." They stop walking. "You're a civilian. And a felon, I think. I'm not taking you with me."

"You're not goin' without me to this scare-a-polooza fest. I have a one way ticket. Or is it a two-way ticket? 'Cause I'm not gonna die here. Are there even two-way tickets? Would that be a round trip?" Kathleen sighs. "Never mind. Bottom line, you're not going without me so let's go."

"Alright. You promise you won't get involved? You'll let me handle it?"

"Yeah, I promise."

"Shake on it." She extends her hand. Buffy shakes it. While they are shaking hands, Kathleen places a set of handcuffs on Buffy's arm.

"Oh, come on. If you're gonna cuff me couldn't you at least of though of something more creative?"

* * *

Kathleen handcuffs Buffy to the door handle and starts walking away. "This is ridiculous. Kathleen, I really think you're gonna need my help," Buffy says while struggling with the cuffs.

"I'll manage. Thank you," And with that, the deputy leaves Buffy alone, who mumbles, "I gotta do the Dean thing and carry some paper clips."

* * *

Kathleen is walking along a dirt road. She passes a rundown barn, along with several wagon wheels strewn along the grass. She walks further and sees a dilapidated house. She blinks several times to make sure that what she sees in front of her is not a mirage of some sort. She makes her way to the front porch and climbs up the stairs. "Hello? Anybody home?" She knocks on the door. A young girl, comes outside, covered in dirt and filth. She is unwashed and has long, uncombed blonde hair. "Hi. Who are you?" The girl comes closer and examines Kathleen's badge.

"Who are you?" The girl repeats.

"I'm, uh, I'm Kathleen. I'm a deputy. What's your name?"

"Missy," Is her curt answer.

"Missy. That's a pretty name. Missy, is your mom home?"

"She's dead," Missy states bluntly.

"I'm sorry. What about your dad?" Missy shakes her head. "No? Can I come in for a minute?" Missy shakes her head once again and starts moving towards the door. "I just want you to look at a picture," She takes a picture of Sam, Buffy, and Dean from her coat pocket and shows it to Missy. In the photo the friends appear to be having a good time. All three occupants were smiling goofy smiles as they posed for the photo. "Have you seen that guy? Look at that picture," Missy looks up and sees something behind Kathleen. She smiles wickedly. "What?"

"That's gonna hurt." Kathleen turns around and sees a tall, equally unwashed man, Pa Bender, standing beside her. He hits her in the head with a shovel, and she falls to the ground, unconscious.

"Missy, sweetheart, go tell your brothers I wanna see 'em," Voices the assailant.

"Yes, Daddy," Missy states as she walks away.

* * *

Buffy is still looking around for something to unlock her restraints with. She finally notices the antenna of the car and reaches for it, but she is too far away. She hears the screech of the pickup truck. "Damn!" She stretches farther. In the woods, two men unlock a gate and start walking. Buffy still can't reach the antenna. Dean probably could reach it as well as Sam but sadly the taller boys were nowhere in sight. "Oh screw it!" Buffy exclaims. With a strong tug, she breaks the handcuffs. "Why didn't I think of this earlier?" A beat. "And now I'm talking to myself…great." The men or better yet pigs, reach a clearing and see the car. They laugh at the sight before them.

"Well, I've never seen him so angry before," Says one grotesque man to the other.

"We've never been followed by the police before," The other points out. Lee, who now has Kathleen's keys, unlocks the car door and gets in.

* * *

Kathleen is in a cage and is now wearing a dirty white T-shirt, and her hair is down. She wakes up and groans, massaging her head. "You alright?" Says a voice she does not recognize. "Are you Sam Winchester?" She asks once she gets a semi good look at the man who had spoken.

"Yeah. And he's Dean." Sam says in regards to his elder brother.

"Dean…Winchester? Aren't you supposed to be dead?"

"It's a long story," Dean states coolly. "Trust us you don't wanna know."

"I'll take your word. Your, uh, your cousin's looking for you."

"Thank God. Where is she?" Dean's demeanor completely changed once he had heard her words. His voice was now happy and relief filled, unlike how it was just moments ago. Buffy was okay, alive, and somewhere that…wasn't here.

"I, uh—I cuffed her to my car," Sam and Dean sigh. The door opens with a screech and Buffy enters, but Kathleen, Sam, and Dean do not know it is her. They back into the corners, hoping that they will not be spotted. Buffy observes the barn, disgusted. Suddenly a brilliant smile crosses her face once she sees Sam and Dean in their cage.

"Dean! Sammy!" Buffy exclaims. Dean smiles brightly at seeing his girlfriend. "And Sam before you yell at me, I'm saving you ass, I can call you whatever I want. Are you guys hurt?"

"No." Dean answers.

"Damn, it's sooo good to see you."

Kathleen is grateful to see her but must ask, "How did you get out of the cuffs?" Buffy turns around and sees her.

"Oh, I know a trick or two." Kathleen stares at her, confused. "Alright. I broke them. Happy?" She moves to the door of the cage and sees the locks. "Oh, these locks look like they're gonna be a bitch. And I'm talking high school cheerleading captain bitch not the cute dogs. "

"Well, there's some kind of automatic control right there," Sam informs Buffy while he points to the control panel.

"Have you seen this weeks beastie yet?"

"Yeah. Buff, they're just people," Dean explains.

"And they jumped you two? Must be gettin' a little rusty there, kiddos," She walks over to the control panel and starts trying different buttons. "What do they want?"

"I don't know. They let Jenkins go, but that was some sort of trap. It doesn't make any sense to me," Sam says.

"Well, that's the point. You know, with our usual playmates, there's rules, there's patterns. But with people, they're just crazy," Dean says.

"I totally agree.," Buffy says while nodding.

"See anything else out there?"

"Uh, he has about a dozen junked cars hidden out back. Plates from all over, so I'm thinkin' when they take someone, they take their car, too."

Kathleen speaks up, "Did you see a black Mustang out there? About ten years old?"

"I'm not the best with cars but I'm almost positive that there was one out back," Kathleen looks put down by the news. "Your brother's?" She nods, "I'm sorry. Let's get you guys out of here, then we'll take care of those crazy whatevers," Buffy points to the control panel. "This thing takes a key. Key?"

"I don't know," Dean says regretfully.

"Alright, I better go find it," She turns to leave but Dean interrupts.

"Can't ya just ya know break it?"

"What do you think? I'm a superhero?"

"Well, yeah."

"Okay, I guess I am but still that's how much steel? I don't think I would be able to open all of your cages. I'd probably use up way to much strength," Buffy walks up to the cage the contains Dean and Sam and places her hand on the bars to touch Dean's hand. Through the spaces in the gate, Buffy can feel the warmth of his hand and the cold of the metal. Both of their foreheads are pressed up against the cage. Buffy gives Dean a gentle, chastise kiss which, dealing with their situation is an amazing feat. "Be careful." Dean whispers.

"What? Don't ya know me?" Buffy says with a smirk. She then pulls away and leaves the room.

"Yeah, that's what's worrying me," Dean says quietly to the now Buffy-less room.

* * *

Buffy is in another dark room. She turns on her flashlight and starts to look around. The room is filled with shelves of jars and bottles, which contain various body parts. Buffy looks at a container filled with an unrecognizable item. "All work and no play makes the crazy, crazier." She keeps searching the room and comes across a wall full of Polaroid pictures. Each photo shows Jared and Lee (the two murders) standing next to a dead body. Some were stabbed, others shot, and some, even she couldn't tell. She notices a picture of them holding Jenkins' corpse. "Dean said it, and I'll say it again—demons I get. People are crazy." She moves to a flight of stairs and climbs them.

* * *

Upstairs, the oldest creep is in the kitchen, butchering something or someone. Buffy comes upstairs and looks around the living room. As she stares at the butchering, she doesn't notice the wind chime until she comes into contact with. The rattling must be stopped so Buffy grabs the pieces with out fully paying attention. When she feels the weird texture of the ornament, she looks at it and is horrified to see it is the remains of a human skull. "What the…" Buffy says quietly.

A record is playing in the background. She sees a wooden pole leaning against the wall and picks it up. She leans against the wall and makes her way toward the kitchen. She notices a small tray filled with keys, at least six maybe seven sets, on a nearby table. Buffy takes another peak inside the kitchen. Pa turns around to pick up another tool, and she turns away. She moves towards the tray of keys, and starts to pick it up when she notices a jar full of teeth. She examines it, disgusted, then hears the floor creak behind her. Buffy sets the jar down and turns around quickly. She is surprised to see a girl, Missy standing before her. "Shh. It's okay. I'm not gonna hurt you," Buffy soothes but it is not needed because Missy isn't on team sanity.

Missy holds up a knife and asserts, "I know." She sticks the knife into Buffy's baggy jacket, pinning her against the wall. "Daddy!" She calls.

"Jeez!"

"Daddy!" Buffy removes the knife just as Jared and Lee come downstairs. "Daddy!" Jared grabs Buffy under her arms. "You're not gonna hit a girl are you?" Buffy questions. Lee walks towards them, but Buffy jumps up and kicks him. "Never said I wouldn't hit a guy. That is if you can call yourselves that." Jared throws Buffy into the wall, causing the knife to fall to the floor. Lee runs towards Buffy, but she grabs him first and pushes him to the ground. She then punches Jared, but is thrown into the wall again by Lee. All three of them stand up. Buffy, ignoring the blood that is running down her face, points to Jared, "I'm gonna kick your ass first," She points to Lee, "Then yours." Pa comes up behind Buffy and hits her over the head with a pan. Buffy falls to the floor, unconscious.

* * *

In the living room, the family crowds around Buffy. The blonde is sitting in a chair, with her hands tied behind her back. Her head in hung down low. Buffy wakes up but isn't noticed at first. Questions flood her mind as quickly as the answers. Dean. Sam. Kidnapped. Kathleen. Hunters. Blood. No longer able to suppress her groan, her lifts her head and grunts. "Come on. Let us hunt her," says one of the Pa's sons.

"Yeah, this one's a fighter. Sure would be fun to hunt," replies the other. Pa laughs.

"Oh, you gotta be kiddin' me. That's what this is about? You yahoos hunt people?" Buffy spats.

"You ever killed before?" The eldest crazy asks.

"Well, that depends on what you mean." Demons, humans, vampire, zombies, and hundreds of other beings have already felt her wrath. How is she supposed to keep track? She could take them on but the drowsiness, guns that were within the hands of her captives, and the fact that they were human stopped her. But why should it stop her? They hurt her family, the ones she loved, why do they deserve to live? Buffy shakes her head to keep her mind back on track. Recently, she has been having these kind of thoughts towards the people who had endangered Sam or Dean. It was scary how far she was willing to go for them.

"I've hunted all my life. Just like my father, his before him. I've hunted deer and bear—I even got a cougar once. But the best hunt is human. Oh, there's nothin' like it. Holdin' their life in your hands. Seein' the fear in their eyes just before they go dark. Makes you feel powerful alive."

"You're a sick puppy. Hell, you're not even a puppy. More like a cockroach or some other disgusting insect I can't think of right now."

Pa pays Buffy no mind and continues, "We give 'em a weapon. Give 'em a fightin' chance. It's kind of like our tradition passed down, father to son. Of course, only one or two a year. Never enough to bring the law down, we never been that sloppy."

"Yeah, well, don't sell yourself short. You're plenty sloppy and I'm not just talking about the hygiene issues."

Pa stands up, "So, what, you with that pretty cop? Are you a cop?"

"If I tell you, you promise not to make me into an ashtray? If you do though, could you put my name on it? It's Buffy, B-U-F-F-Y. Do you know how hard it is to find something in the mall with my name on it spelled correctly?" Pa looks angry, this causes Lee to walk over and punch Buffy across the face.

"Only reason I don't let my boys take you right here and now is that there's somethin' I need to know." He walks to the fireplace and takes a hot poker.

"Yeah, how 'bout it's not nice to marry your sister?"

"Tell me—any of the cops gonna come lookin' for you?"

"Oh, eat me. No, no, no, wait, wait—you actually might." Jared walks over to Buffy and holds her head in place.

"You think this is funny? You brought this down on my family. Alright, you wanna play games? We'll play some games. Looks like we're gonna have a hunt tonight after all, boys," Pa turns to Buffy, "And you get to pick the animal. The blonde boy, the tall one, or the cop?"

"Okay, wait, wait—look, nobody's comin' for me, alright? It's just us."

"You don't choose, I will," He places the hot poker on Buffy's shirt. She grunts in pain. Pa removes the poker.

"To quote my boyfriend, you son of a bitch!" Pa places the poker barely an inch from Buffy's eye.

"Next time, I'll take an eye."

"Alright, the blonde guy, the guy! Take the guy!" Apart of Buffy hadn't really registered what she had said let alone did. No offense to Sam but Dean was the better hunter but he should not have to fight these people because of her. It was official, she Buffy Summers was the worst girlfriend in history. Ya know, 'cause nothing says I love you like you own death. Jared lets go of Buffy's head, and Pa moves the poker. He takes a key from around his neck and hands it to Lee.

"Lee, go do it. Don't let him out, though. Shoot him in the cage along with the other boy," Lee walks to the door.

"What? I thought you said you were gonna hunt him. You were gonna give him a chance."

"Lee, when you're done with the boys—shoot the bitch, too." Lee nods and leaves, with his rifle. "Better clean this mess up before any more cops come runnin' out here." Buffy can barely contain the look of fear the crosses her features.

* * *

Sam, Dean, and Kathleen are alarmed to see Lee enter the barn. He walks over to the control panel and inserts the key. "What are you doing?" Dean asks from his place next to Sam. The door to their cage unlocks and Lee walks towards them. Sam notices the bracket on the floor and grabs it. Lee opens the cage door and aims his gun. "Hey!" Kathleen screams.

* * *

Back in the living room Buffy and the three Benders hear a gunshot. "You hurt either of them, I'll kill you, I swear. I'll kill you all. I will kill you all!" Buffy bellows. Pa stands up and walks towards the open front door, "Lee!"

* * *

Dean, Sam, and Lee are all out of the cage. Dean is in the process of unlocking Kathleen's cage as Sam fights Lee. Sam grabs the gun and hits Lee in the face with it three times. Lee collapses on the floor. Sam tries to fire the gun, but it does not work. "Damn."

* * *

"Lee!" Pa calls again. Lee does not respond. Pa turns to the other three. "Jared, you come with me. Missy, you watch her now." Jared grabs two rifles, hands one to Pa, and they both leave. Missy remains next to Buffy, holding a knife dangerously close to her eye.

* * *

Lee and Jared enter the barn, guns raised, and look around. "Lee! Where are ya? Lee!" Pa calls. They find Lee unconscious, locked in Sam's cage. "Damn it, Jared, get the lights!" Jared moves over to the light switch and pushes it up. The barn remains dark.

"They must have blown the fuses," Jared states. Pa tries the control panel, but it is broken. They move into another room of the barn. Sam and Dean hide behind a bale of hay. Lee and Jared hear a noise. Jared looks around in one area of the room, while Pa climbs a ladder leading to a balcony. Kathleen moves to a cabinet, unseen, and opens it, but she hears a noise and stops. Jared also hears something. He walks to the cabinet and stands to face it. He fires his rifle several times at the doors, but Kathleen does not come out. Jared opens the cabinet, but finds nothing inside but tools. He looks around the barn, when, suddenly Kathleen falls on top of his back. She wraps her arms around his neck and wrestles with him, before being knocked to the ground.

Meanwhile, Pa is chasing after Sam and Dean. He fires his rifle twice, but the brothers escape. While Kathleen is on the ground, Jared aims his gun at her. "You stupid bitch." He gets ready to shoot her, but the Winchesters enter. "Hey!" Dean yells. Jared turns around and sees both Dean and Sam. He fires the gun, but the hunters run away to dodge it. At the same moment, Pa walks in behind Dean and Sam and gets hit with the bullet instead. He falls to the ground. Jared cocks the gun and turns around. Dean appears behind him and grabs the gun. He hits Jared in the face with the rifle several times, and Jared collapses, unconscious.

* * *

Dean places Jared in Kathleen's cage and closes the door. Sam, who is standing near the control panel, locks the cage. They make their way over to Kathleen, who is standing over Pa, with her gun raised. "I'll watch this one. You two go ahead." Sam stares at her, motionless. "Go ahead." The brothers exchange a look and then walk out the door, ready to find Buffy. "You hurt my family, I'm gonna bleed you, bitch," the horrible rat says.

Almost tearfully, Kathleen concludes, "You killed my brother."

"Your brother?" He laughs cruelly. "Now I see."

"Just tell me why," she pleads. Pa smiles.

"Because it's fun," he cackles. Kathleen looks at him, horrified, and fires the gun.

* * *

Dean, Sam, and Buffy walk out the front door and down the porch steps. They meet up with Kathleen, who is leaving the barn. "Where's the girl?"

"Locked her in a closet," Buffy states, "What about the dad?" Kathleen pauses.

"Shot. Trying to escape." All three of them exchange a look. The lie was seen through by the entire party but no one calls her on it.

* * *

Buffy, Dean, Sam, and Kathleen are leaving the house. "I think your car's at the police station." Buffy tells Dean as Kathleen listens to a woman on her walkie-talkie, "Backup units on route to your location." Kathleen approaches Sam, Buffy, and Dean.

"So, state police and the FBI are gonna be here within the hour. They're gonna wanna talk to you. I suggest that you're all long gone by then."

"Thanks. Hey, listen, I don't mean to press our luck, but we're kind of in the middle of nowhere. Think we could catch a ride?" Dean inquires.

"Start walking. Duck if you see a squad car."

"Sounds great to me. Thanks." Sam says as he and Dean start walking away. They stop when they hear Buffy address Kathleen one final time, "Listen, uh….I'm sorry about your brother."

"Thank you," Kathleen begins to tear up, "It was really hard not knowing what happened to him. I thought it would be easier once I knew the truth—but it isn't really." "It never is." "Anyway, you should go." The trio nod and walk away. Kathleen watches them leave, close to tears.

* * *

On the road, Sam, Buffy, and Dean are walking in that order. "Never do that again." Buffy states.

"Do what?" The brothers ask in unison.

"Go missing like that." Sam laughs and says, "You were worried about us."

"I'm the one that got injured. What did u get? A bruised fist? I got freakin' burned. Next time you guys go missing, I'm not looking for ya."

"Sure, you won't." Dean says jokingly.

"I'm not." The brothers chuckle.

"So, you got sidelined by a thirteen-year-old girl, huh?"

"Oh, shut up."

"Just sayin', gettin' rusty there, kiddo."

Buffy chuckles, "Shut up. Slayer rule ya know. No killing humans, even if they are murdering hillbillies." Sam laughs at her joke. Dean grasps Buffy's hand and intertwines it with his own as they continue to walk down the dark road. Together.

* * *

**To Be Continued in Shadow.**


End file.
